up sticks
up sticks · ups sticks · upped sticks · upping sticks
To put up the mast of a ship in preparation for sailingTo put up the mast of a ship in preparation for sailing.
/ˌʌp ˈstɪks/
Meaning
2 senses(Ireland, UK, slang)To put up the mast of a ship in preparation for sailing.
(Ireland, UK, colloquial, figuratively)To prepare to move; to pack up; to go and live in a different place.
Origin
up + sticks, plural of stick (“a mast or part of a mast of a ship; a yard”).up + sticks, plural of stick (“a mast or part of a mast of a ship; a yard”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
ups sticks, upping sticks, upped sticks, upped sticks| Base form | up sticks · to up sticks |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | ups sticks |
| Present participle | upping sticks |
| Past simple | upped sticks |
| Past participle | upped sticks |
irregular
Lessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle