What's up?

This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is ' UP .' It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].

It's easy to understand UP , meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP ?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speakUP, and why are the officersUP for erection and why is itUP to the secretary to writeUP a report? We call UPour friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fixUP the old car.

At other times, this little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UPis special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UPat night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP !

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UPthe word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can addUP to about thirty definitions.

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't giveUP, you may wind UPwith a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it soaks UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now . . . my time is UP !

Oh . . . one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night?

U P !

Did that one crack you UP ?

Don't screw UP. Make UPyour mind ... it's UP to you. 

Now I'll shut UP !

(contributed by Uki)