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1184 entries found
uptake (n.)
"capacity for understanding, perceptive power," 1816, from up (adv.) + take (v.). Compare Middle English verb uptake "to pick or take up" (c. 1300). Meaning "pipe leading up from the smoke box of a steam boiler to the chimney" is from 1839.
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uptick (n.)
"upward trend," 1962, an economist's term, from up (adv.) + tick (v.), in reference to some recording mechanism.
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uptight (adj.)
"tense," slang, 1934, from up- + tight (adj.). Meaning "straight-laced" first recorded 1969. It was used in a sense of "excellent" in jazz slang c. 1962.
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uptown (adv.)
1802, "to or in the higher or upper portion of a town," from up (adv.) + town (n.). As an adjective from 1838. As this usually was the residential portion of a town (especially a port) the word had overtones of "residential quarter" as opposed to "commercial and industrial district." As a noun from 1946, often meaning "more prosperous area of town."
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upturn (n.)
1868, "upturned part," from up (adv.) + turn (n.). Meaning "improvement" (especially in economics) is from 1930.
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upward (adv.)
also upwards, Old English upweard, upweardes "up, upward, toward heaven;" see up (adv.) + -ward. Similar formation in Middle Low German upwart, Middle Dutch opwaert, Dutch opwaart, Middle High German ufwart. As an adjective from c. 1600 (also in Old English). Phrase upward mobility first recorded 1949; mainly restricted to sociologists' jargon until 1960s.
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upwelling (adj.)
1841, from up (adv.) + present participle of well (v.). As a noun from 1847. A verb upwell is attested from 1885.
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upwind (adv.)
also up-wind, 1838, from up (adv.) + wind (n.1). Originally a nautical term. As an adjective from 1892.
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uracil (n.)
pyramidine base, coined in German, 1885, perhaps from urea + German Acetsäure "acetic acid" (or possibly acrylic) + chemical suffix -il.
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Ural 
mountain range between Europe and Asia (the river is named for the mountains), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Vogul urala "mountain peak" or from Tatar ural "boundary."
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