turn up

To arrive or appear, often unexpectedly or after being missing.

• He turned up late.
• My missing keys turned up under the sofa.
• Will anyone else turn up at the meeting?

How to use it: turn up at somewhere (He turned up at my house without warning.); turn up in somewhere (The missing ring turned up in a drawer.)

Similar words: appear, show up, arrive

Opposites: disappear

Common phrases: turn up late, turn up somewhere

To use a control to make sound louder, light brighter, or something hotter.

• Please turn up the volume.
• She turned the heating up because she was cold.
• Can you turn it up a little?

How to use it: turn something up (Could you turn the radio up?)

Similar words: increase, raise

Opposites: turn down

Common phrases: turn up the volume, turn up the heat

To find something, usually by searching or investigating.

• The search turned up nothing.
• Police turned up new evidence yesterday.
• Did your research turn up any useful information?

How to use it: turn up something (The search turned up a useful clue.)

Similar words: find, discover, uncover

Common phrases: turn up evidence, turn up something

To fold, lift, or move something so that it points upwards.

• Turn up your collar.
• She turned up the cuffs of her jeans.
• He turned the edge of the rug up to check underneath.

How to use it: turn something up (He turned his collar up against the wind.)

Similar words: fold up, lift

Opposites: turn down

Common phrases: turn up a collar, turn up the cuffs

To celebrate very energetically, often while drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

• We are going to turn up tonight.
• They turned up all weekend at the festival.
• The DJ told the crowd to turn up and dance.

Similar words: party hard

Common phrases: turn up tonight, turn up together

To make someone feel sick, especially by upsetting their stomach.

• That smell turns up my stomach.
• The sight of the rotten food turned up her stomach.
• Even thinking about it could turn up his stomach.

How to use it: turn up someone’s stomach (The smell of the drains turned up my stomach.)

Similar words: sicken, nauseate

Common phrases: turn up someone’s stomach, turn up my stomach