go up

To move to a higher place or position.

• The balloon went up.
• We went up the hill together.
• Does this lift go up to the fifth floor?

How to use it: go up something (We went up the stairs.); go up to somewhere (She went up to the top floor.)

Similar words: rise, ascend

Opposites: go down

Common phrases: go up stairs, go up a hill

To become higher in price, cost, or value.

• Food prices have gone up.
• Our rent went up last month.
• Will these shares go up in value?

How to use it: go up by an amount (Rent went up by fifty pounds.); go up to an amount (The price has gone up to ten euros.); go up in value (Our house has gone up in value.)

Similar words: rise, increase

Opposites: fall, decrease

Common phrases: prices go up, go up in price

If a building or structure appears, people are building it or have built it.

• New houses are going up.
• A fence went up around the site.
• Another office block has gone up beside the station.

Similar words: be built, be erected

Common phrases: offices go up, houses go up

To burn, often quickly and completely.

• The dry wood went up quickly.
• Their barn went up in flames.
• One spark could make the whole place go up.

How to use it: go up in flames/smoke (The shed went up in flames within minutes.)

Similar words: burn, burn down

Common phrases: go up in flames, go up in smoke

To forget your words or planned movements during a performance.

• The actor went up onstage.
• I went up halfway through my speech and needed a prompt.
• She fears going up during the opening performance.

Similar words: blank, forget your lines

Common phrases: go up onstage, actor go up

To be sent to prison.

• He went up for theft.
• She went up for two years after the trial.
• He had gone up before, but this sentence was longer.

How to use it: go up for a period (He went up for three years.); go up for an offence (She went up for fraud.)

Similar words: be imprisoned, go to prison

Common phrases: go up for robbery, go up for life