upend
to change something completely
TRANSLATION
upend (fig.) = etwas auf den Kopf stellen, kippen upend (fig.) = besiegen, schlagen (z.B. beim Sport) upend = etwas hochkant stellen, umstülpen (Objekt) --- GOOGLE INDEX upend: approximately 1,500,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Earlier in March, a repeat experiment found that the particles, known as neutrinos, did not exceed light speed. When the results were first published last year, they shocked the world, threatening to UPEND a century of physics as well as relativity theory - which holds the speed of light to be the Universe's absolute speed limit.
(BBC News)
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Leftist Party's Rise UPENDS Greek Political Order
(New York Times)
(BBC News)
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Leftist Party's Rise UPENDS Greek Political Order
(New York Times)
Did you
know?
upend
verb
- to invalidate, destroy, or change completely; overthrow
- to win victory over; defeat
- to stand, set, or turn on one end (an object)
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The prefix "up" is combined with a variety of nouns and verbs to form new words and is generally used to mean "higher" or "improved." In the case of upend, the original (and literal) meaning referred to turning an object up on its other end (a box for instance).
One of the wonderful things about languages though, we are not limited to the literal use of words. Conveying words, phrases or expressions in a figurative sense offers more creativity and a visual approach. Upend is just one example of how words can be transformed in this way. Below is a selection of other words with the prefix "up" that are used in both a literal and figurative sense:
- uphill = To go upwards, as on a hill or a mountain. Figuratively, it is synonymous with labour or difficulty (Getting management to approve the new strategy was an uphill battle).
- upbeat = In music, an unaccented beat or beats that occur before the first beat of a measure or the upward stroke made by a conductor to indicate the beat that leads into a new measure. Figuratively speaking, upbeat means "optimistic, happy." (The company is upbeat about its business prospects for next year)
- uphold = To hold aloft, raise up. In a figurative sense, to uphold is to defend or keep a principle, law or decision. (The judge upheld the county court's decision)
- upright = To be in a vertical position or direction or to return to an upright position. Figuratively speaking, upright means adhering to moral principles or being righteous (He has a reputation in his community for being upright)
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SYNONYMS
turn upside down, flip over, turn over, overturn, revert, tip
(fig.)
alter, change, transform, upset, throw off balance, mess up, shake up
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"The rainy weather upended our holiday plans for the beach."
verb
- to invalidate, destroy, or change completely; overthrow
- to win victory over; defeat
- to stand, set, or turn on one end (an object)
---
The prefix "up" is combined with a variety of nouns and verbs to form new words and is generally used to mean "higher" or "improved." In the case of upend, the original (and literal) meaning referred to turning an object up on its other end (a box for instance).
One of the wonderful things about languages though, we are not limited to the literal use of words. Conveying words, phrases or expressions in a figurative sense offers more creativity and a visual approach. Upend is just one example of how words can be transformed in this way. Below is a selection of other words with the prefix "up" that are used in both a literal and figurative sense:
- uphill = To go upwards, as on a hill or a mountain. Figuratively, it is synonymous with labour or difficulty (Getting management to approve the new strategy was an uphill battle).
- upbeat = In music, an unaccented beat or beats that occur before the first beat of a measure or the upward stroke made by a conductor to indicate the beat that leads into a new measure. Figuratively speaking, upbeat means "optimistic, happy." (The company is upbeat about its business prospects for next year)
- uphold = To hold aloft, raise up. In a figurative sense, to uphold is to defend or keep a principle, law or decision. (The judge upheld the county court's decision)
- upright = To be in a vertical position or direction or to return to an upright position. Figuratively speaking, upright means adhering to moral principles or being righteous (He has a reputation in his community for being upright)
---
SYNONYMS
turn upside down, flip over, turn over, overturn, revert, tip
(fig.)
alter, change, transform, upset, throw off balance, mess up, shake up
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"The rainy weather upended our holiday plans for the beach."
