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View synonyms for

upper

1

[ uhp-er ]

adjective

  1. higher, as in place, position, pitch, or in a scale: the upper register of a singer's voice.

    the upper stories of a house;

    the upper register of a singer's voice.

  2. superior, as in rank, dignity, or station.
  3. (of places) at a higher level, more northerly, or farther from the sea: upper New York State.

    the upper slopes of a mountain;

    upper New York State.

  4. Often Upper. Stratigraphy. denoting a later division of a period, system, or the like:

    the Upper Devonian.



noun

  1. the part of a shoe or boot above the sole, comprising the quarter, vamp, counter, and lining.
  2. an upper berth.
  3. a gaiter made of cloth. Compare gaiter ( def 1 ).
  4. Usually uppers.
    1. an upper dental plate.
    2. an upper tooth.
  5. Informal. the higher of two bunks or berths.

upper

2

[ uhp-er ]

noun

Slang.
  1. a stimulant drug, especially an amphetamine.
  2. a pleasant or elating experience, person, or situation.

upper

/ ˈʌə /

adjective

  1. higher or highest in relation to physical position, wealth, rank, status, etc
  2. capital when part of a name lying farther upstream, inland, or farther north

    the upper valley of the Loire

  3. capital when part of a name geology archaeol denoting the late part or division of a period, system, formation, etc

    Upper Palaeolithic

  4. maths (of a limit or bound) greater than or equal to one or more numbers or variables
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the higher of two objects, people, etc
  2. the part of a shoe above the sole, covering the upper surface of the foot
  3. on one's uppers
    extremely poor; destitute
  4. informal.
    any tooth of the upper jaw
  5. slang.
    Also called (esp US)up any of various drugs having a stimulant or euphoric effect Compare downer
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

upper

  1. Being a later or more recent division of the geological or archaeological period named.
  2. Compare lower
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Word History and Origins

Origin of upper1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; up (adjective), -er 4

Origin of upper2

An Americanism dating back to 1965–70; up + -er 1
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. on one's uppers, Informal. reduced to poverty; without sufficient means:

    They are on their uppers but manage to hide the fact from their friends.

More idioms and phrases containing upper

  • keep a stiff upper lip
  • on one's uppers
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The House of Keys continued to insist on five-year residency and have sent the legislation back to the upper house.

From

He "lost a really significant portion of his upper lip - the skin and some of the underlying muscle - and also his lower lip," he said.

From

The scourge of corruption had long dogged the upper echelons of the Catholic Church.

From

Our archaeological training taught us to look for these small clues, and to reconstruct from them the outlines of the house’s upper stories.

From

There has had to be adjustments for her in her new role in Parliament's upper house.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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