Ups and Downs

Grow up.

Sit up.

Stand up.

Shut up.

Heads up!

Wait up.

What’s up?

Knocked up.

Throw up.

Make up.

Break up.

Shake it up.

Keep up.

Time’s up.

Burnt up.

Why do we say “up” when the majority of these phrases actually mean just the opposite?

We usually say “grow up” to someone who is acting like a young child or someone you would look DOWN upon for their actions.

Sit up. They’re already sitting DOWN.

Stand up. Again, they’re sitting DOWN.

Shut up means quiet DOWN. That’s just an all-around put DOWN.

When someone yells “Heads up!” it’s usually best to duck and run.

Wait up… what do you mean by that? Someone has to slow DOWN in order to wait for someone else to catch up.

What’s up? Well, when someone asks me that, I anticipate they expect a DOWN-to Earth reply.

Knocked up. Ouch. Aren’t women on like, bed rest during the latter stages of pregnancy?

And when you’re throwing up, ick. You wanna be anyhere EXCEPT vertical.

Make up. Could be looked at two different ways. One, the cosmetics people use to cover what they don’t want people to see, or to make them look better so no one puts them DOWN.

Two, making up after a break up because you’re so DOWN and out about no longer being with them, which brings me to break up.

It’s the same, only opposite. Don’t you break up because you’re no longer happy with the person or with something they did to upset you/bring you DOWN?

Shake it up. Ya gotta flip it upside DOWN to cover/mix the bottom?

Keep up. We tell someone that when they’re slowing DOWN or keeping us slowed DOWN.

Time’s up. The time’s not up! It’s DOWN, gone, never to be returned again. There’s no refund on time. It’s dead. Dead. DOWN. In the ground.

Burnt up. When a structure/object burns up, there’s nothing left. It burned DOWN. Disintegrated into a pile of kindling, unless you’re referring to BBQ.

Well, then it’s just the way Dad likes it! As he always tells his servers: When the smoke detector goes off, turn it over. When the fire dept. gets here, bring it to me!