lʊk ʌp
neutral
beginner
- Base verb:
- look
- Particle:
- up
- Separable:
- Yes
What does "look up" mean?
- To search for information in a book, database, or online
- To improve or become better
- To visit or contact someone you haven't seen for a while
- To raise your eyes to look at something higher
Examples
- I need to look up the word in the dictionary.
- Business is finally looking up after a difficult year.
- Look me up if you're ever in Vancouver.
- She looked up from her book when I entered the room.
- Things are starting to look up for the company.
How to use it
'Look up' is essential for modern life - looking things up online is extremely common. 'Things are looking up' is an optimistic expression meaning the situation is improving.
Word order
For searching: separable ('look the word up' or 'look up the word'). For improving: not separable ('Things are looking up'). For visiting: separable ('look me up').
Similar expressions
search
research
improve
visit
raise
Opposites
look down
deteriorate
avoid
Related phrasal verbs
- look after
To take care of someone or something
- look for
To try to find something or someone
- look into
To investigate or examine something carefully
- look out
To be careful or watch for danger (warning)
- look over
To examine or check something quickly
- look forward to
To feel excited and pleased about something that is going to happen
Use it in a practice answer
Try "look up" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.