upper

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Related to upper: upper deck, upper GI, upper respiratory infection

up·per

(ŭp′ər)

adj.

1. Higher in place, position, or rank: the upper bunk; the upper half of the class.

a. Situated on higher ground: upper regions.

b. Lying farther inland: the upper Nile.

c. Northern: the upper Midwest.

3. Upper Geology & Archaeology Of, relating to, or being a later division of the period named.

4. Denoting the smaller and usually less broadly representative house of a bicameral legislature.

1. The part of a shoe or boot above the sole.

2. Informal An upper berth.

3. uppers Informal The upper teeth or a set of upper dentures.

4. Slang

a. A drug, especially an amphetamine, used as a stimulant.

b. An exhilarating or euphoric experience.

Idiom:

on (one's) uppers Informal

Impoverished; destitute.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

upper

(ˈʌpə)

adj

1. higher or highest in relation to physical position, wealth, rank, status, etc

2. (Physical Geography) (capital when part of a name) lying farther upstream, inland, or farther north: the upper valley of the Loire.

3. (Geological Science) (capital when part of a name) geology archaeol denoting the late part or division of a period, system, formation, etc: Upper Palaeolithic.

4. (Archaeology) (capital when part of a name) geology archaeol denoting the late part or division of a period, system, formation, etc: Upper Palaeolithic.

5. (Mathematics) maths (of a limit or bound) greater than or equal to one or more numbers or variables

6. the higher of two objects, people, etc

7. (Clothing & Fashion) the part of a shoe above the sole, covering the upper surface of the foot

8. on one's uppers extremely poor; destitute

9. (Dentistry) informal any tooth of the upper jaw

10. (Recreational Drugs) slang Also called (esp US): up any of various drugs having a stimulant or euphoric effect. Compare downer

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

up•per¹

(ˈʌp ər)

adj.

1. higher, as in place, position, pitch, or in a scale: the upper stories of a house.

2. superior, as in rank, dignity, or station.

3. (of places) at a higher level, more northerly, or farther from the sea: upper New York State.

4. (often cap.) denoting a later division of a geologic period, system, or the like: the Upper Devonian.

5. the part of a shoe or boot above the sole, comprising the quarter, vamp, counter, and lining.

6. an upper berth.

7. Usu., uppers.

a. an upper dental plate.

b. an upper tooth.

Idioms:

on one's uppers, Informal. poor; without means.

[1300–50; Middle English]

up•per²

(ˈʌp ər)

n. Slang.

a stimulant drug, esp. an amphetamine.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	upper - the higher of two berths upper berth built in bed, bunk, berth - a bed on a ship or train; usually in tiers
	2.	upper - piece of leather or synthetic material that forms the part of a shoe or boot above the sole that encases the foot; "Uppers come in many styles" boot - footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg piece of leather - a separate part consisting of leather quarter - piece of leather that comprises the part of a shoe or boot covering the heel and joining the vamp shoe - footwear shaped to fit the foot (below the ankle) with a flexible upper of leather or plastic and a sole and heel of heavier material toe box - the forward tip of the upper of a shoe or boot that provides space and protection for the toes; "the toe box may be rounded or pointed" vamp - piece of leather forming the front part of the upper of a shoe
	3.	upper - a central nervous system stimulant that increases energy and decreases appetite; used to treat narcolepsy and some forms of depression amphetamine, pep pill, speed amphetamine sulfate, amphetamine sulphate - a sulfate derivative of amphetamine that is used as a stimulant for the central nervous system bennie, Benzedrine - a form of amphetamine Dexedrine, dextroamphetamine sulphate - an isomer of amphetamine (trade name Dexedrine) used as a central nervous system stimulant drug of abuse, street drug - a drug that is taken for nonmedicinal reasons (usually for mind-altering effects); drug abuse can lead to physical and mental damage and (with some substances) dependence and addiction deoxyephedrine, meth, methamphetamine, methamphetamine hydrochloride, Methedrine, shabu, chicken feed, crank, chalk, trash, glass, ice - an amphetamine derivative (trade name Methedrine) used in the form of a crystalline hydrochloride; used as a stimulant to the nervous system and as an appetite suppressant excitant, stimulant drug, stimulant - a drug that temporarily quickens some vital process
Adj.	1.	upper - the topmost one of two top - situated at the top or highest position; "the top shelf"
	2.	upper - higher in place or position; "the upper bunk"; "in the upper center of the picture"; "the upper stories" high - (literal meaning) being at or having a relatively great or specific elevation or upward extension (sometimes used in combinations like `knee-high'); "a high mountain"; "high ceilings"; "high buildings"; "a high forehead"; "a high incline"; "a foot high"
	3.	upper - superior in rank or accomplishment; "the upper half of the class" superior - of or characteristic of high rank or importance; "a superior ruler"

upper

adjective

1. topmost, top There is a smart restaurant on the upper floor.
topmost lower, bottom

2. higher, high the muscles of the upper back and chest
higher low, lower

3. superior, senior, higher-level, greater, top, important, chief, most important, elevated, eminent, higher-ranking the upper echelons of the Army
superior low, lower, junior, inferior

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

upper

adjective

Being at a height or level above another:

higher, superior.

Translations

أعْلى،عُلْويفَوْقِيّوَجْه الحِذاء

hornísvršek

øvre

an ober oberer Oberleder

ψηλότερος

superior alto pala

ylempi

supérieur

gornji

cipõfelsõrész

efri, hærri, æîriyfirleîur

superiore tomaia al di sopra di tutto avere la meglio classi superiori

上の

상부의

aukštuomenėbato viršusesantis pačiame viršujepirmoje vietojeviršutinis

augšējaisvirsavirsējais

zvršok

zgornji

övre

สูงกว่า

üstüst kısımsaya

cao hơn

上面的较高的鞋帮

upper

[ˈʌpəʳ]

A. ADJ

1. (in level) [deck, floor] → de arriba; (more frm) → superior
the upper atmosphere → la atmósfera superior
the upper slopes of Illimani → las pendientes más altas del Illimani
see also hand A11
see also reach C2
see also stiff A3

2. (in importance, rank) [echelons, ranks, caste] → superior
upper management → los altos cargos de la administración

3. (on scale) [limit] → máximo
properties at the upper end of the market → inmuebles de la sección más cara del mercado
people in the upper income bracket → las personas con un nivel de ingresos superior

4. (in Geog names) → alto
the Upper Nile → el alto Nilo

B. N

1. uppers [of shoe] → pala fsing
to be (down) on one's uppers → estar en las últimas or (Sp) sin un duro

2. (= drug) → anfeta f

3. (Dentistry) → dentadura f postiza (superior)

4. (US) (Rail) → litera f de arriba

C. CPD upper arm N → brazo m superior
upper case N (Typ) → mayúsculas fpl
in upper case → en mayúsculas
upper chamber N (Pol) → cámara f alta
the upper circle N (Theat) → la galería superior
upper class N the upper classes → la(s) clase(s) alta(s)
the upper crust N → la flor y nata
Upper Egypt N → alto Egipto m
upper house N (Pol) → cámara f alta
upper lip N → labio m superior
upper school N → cursos mpl superiores; (in names) → instituto m de enseñanza media
Upper Volta N → alto Volta m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

upper

[ˈʌpə^r]

adj

(in position) [floor, storey, part, rung] → supérieur(e); [deck, jaw] → supérieur(e)
the upper slopes → les pistes les plus hautes (d'une station de ski)
the upper back → le haut du dos
the upper arm → le bras (partie supérieure du membre)
the upper body → la partie supérieure du corps
on the upper floor → à l'étage supérieur

(in scale) [limit, end] → supérieur(e)
Temperatures were in the upper thirties
BUT La température dépassait les trente degrés.

[shoe] → dessus m, empeigne f

(= drug) → amphé f upper atmosphere n
the upper atmosphere → les couches fpl supérieures de l'atmosphèreupper case n → majuscule f, capitale f
in upper case → en majuscules, en capitalesupper-case upper case [ˌˈʌpə^rˈkeɪs] adj
upper-case letter → lettre f majuscule, lettre f capitaleupper class n
the upper class → la haute sociétéupper-class [ˌˈʌpə^rˈklɑːs] adj [family] → de la haute société; [district, area] → huppé(e); [accent, attitude] → caractéristique des classes supérieuresupper crust n
the upper crust → la haute , les aristos mpl upper-crust [ˌˈʌpə^rˈkrʌst] adj → aristo

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

upper

adj

→ obere(r, s); (Anat, Geog) → Ober-; temperatures in the upper thirties → Temperaturen hoch in den dreißig; upper arm → Oberarm m; upper lip → Oberlippe f; upper body → Oberkörper m; the upper reaches of the Thames → der Oberlauf der Themse; the upper Loire → die obere Loire; Upper Rhine → Oberrhein m

(in importance, rank) → höhere(r, s), obere(r, s); the upper ranks of the Civil Service → das gehobene Beamtentum; in the upper income bracket → in der oberen Einkommensklasse; the upper middle class(es) → die gehobene Mittelschicht ? hand 1 j

uppers pl (of shoe) → Obermaterial nt; to be on one’s uppers (= destitute) → auf den Hund gekommen sein

(inf: = drug) → Aufputschmittel nt, → Muntermacher m (inf)

(US Rail) → oberes Bett (im Schlafwagen)

upper

upper brain

n (Anat) → Großhirn nt

upper case

n (Typ: also upper-case letter) → Großbuchstabe m, → Versal m (spec); to set something in upper → etw in Versalien setzen

upper-case

adj → groß; an upper T → ein großes T, ein Versal-T (spec)

upper circle

n (Brit Theat) → zweiter Rang

upper class

n → obere Klasse, Oberschicht f; the upperes → die Oberschicht

upper-class

adj accent, district, person → vornehm, fein; sport, expression, attitude → der Oberschicht; to be upper (person) → zur Oberschicht gehören

upperclassman

n (US) Mitglied einer High School oder eines College

upper crust

n (inf) → obere zehntausend pl (inf)

upper-crust

adj (inf) → (schrecklich) vornehm (inf)

uppercut

n → Aufwärtshaken m, → Uppercut m

Upper Egypt

n → Oberägypten nt

upper hand

n to gain or get the upper → die Oberhand gewinnen (→ of, over über +acc), → Oberwasser bekommen

Upper House

n (Parl) → Oberhaus nt

upper

upper school

n → Oberschule f

upper sixth

n (Brit Sch) → ˜ Oberprima f

Upper Volta

n (Hist) → Obervolta nt ? Burkina Faso

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

upper

[ˈʌpəʳ]

1. adj

a. (jaw, lip) → superiore; (storey) → superiore, di sopra
the upper reaches of the Po → l'alto Po

b. (in importance, rank) → superiore, più alto/a, più elevato/a
the upper school → gli ultimi anni di scuola superiore
the upper income bracket → la fascia di reddito più alto
the upper middle class → l'alta borghesia

2. n (of shoe) → tomaia
to be on one's uppers (fig) (fam) → non avere il becco d'un quattrino

upper

(ˈapə) adjective

higher in position, rank etc. the upper floors of the building; He has a scar on his upper lip.

noun

(usually in plural) the part of a shoe above the sole. There's a crack in the upper.

ˈuppermost adjective

highest. in the uppermost room of the castle.

adverb

in the highest place or position. Thoughts of him were upper-most in her mind.

upper class

(of) the highest rank of society; (of) the aristocracy. The upper classes can no longer afford to have many servants; He speaks with an upper-class accent.

get/have the upper hand (of/over someone)

to have or win an advantage over. Our team managed to get the upper hand in the end.

upper

→ فَوْقِيّ horní øvre oberer ψηλότερος superior ylempi supérieur gornji superiore 上の 상부의 bovenste øvre wyższy superior верхний övre สูงกว่า üst cao hơn 上面的

upper

n. pop. droga estimulante, esp. una anfetamina;

a., comp. superior, más alto-a. que.

upper

adj (anat) superior (form), alto, de arriba

References in classic literature ?

Sola and I had entered a building upon the front of the city, in fact, the same one in which I had had my encounter with the apes, and, wishing to see what had caused the sudden retreat, I mounted to an upper floor and peered from the window out over the valley and the hills beyond; and there I saw the cause of their sudden scurrying to cover.

View in context

"On the upper part of this tank is a platinum tube provided with a stopcock.

View in context

By 7 o'clock in the evening, dinner was about over; an hour's promenade on the upper deck followed; then the gong sounded and a large majority of the party repaired to the after cabin (upper), a handsome saloon fifty or sixty feet long, for prayers.

View in context

The roof is about twelve feet high, and runs to a pretty sharp angle, as if there were a regular ridge-pole there; while these ribbed, arched, hairy sides, present us with those wondrous, half vertical, scimetar-shaped slats of whale-bone, say three hundred on a side, which depending from the upper part of the head or crown bone, form those Venetian blinds which have elsewhere been cursorily mentioned.

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The wheel then sank little by little, and with it the massive ring of masonry, on the upper bed of which the masons labored incessantly, always reserving some vent holes to permit the escape of gas during the operation of the casting.

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To avoid a multiplicity of examples in so plain a case, and to come at once to my point, I am apt to conceive, that one reason why many English writers have totally failed in describing the manners of upper life, may possibly be, that in reality they know nothing of it.

View in context

For the strain constantly kept up by the windlass continually keeps the whale rolling over and over in the water, and as the blubber in one strip uniformly peels off along the line called the scarf, simultaneously cut by the spades of Starbuck and Stubb, the mates; and just as fast as it is thus peeled off, and indeed by that very act itself, it is all the time being hoisted higher and higher aloft till its upper end grazes the main-top; the men at the windlass then cease heaving, and for a moment or two the prodigious blood-dripping mass sways to and fro as if let down from the sky, and every one present must take good heed to dodge it when it swings, else it may box his ears and pitch him headlong overboard.

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The upper part, which is upwards of 1000 feet in height, during this season of the year (winter), comes within the lower limit of the clouds; and in consequence, an abundant cryptogamic vegetation, and a few flowers cover the summit.

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Its difference from the manatee consisted in its upper jaw, which was armed with two long and pointed teeth which formed on each side diverging tusks.

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The upper part of Salmon River was represented as far more eligible, besides being in an excellent beaver country; and thither the captain resolved to bend his course.

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We must reach the upper levels of the pits in advance of the flood or we shall never reach them.

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He spent a couple of terms with Winks in the Upper Third.

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upper

up·per

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up•per¹

up•per²