Up

Baleine, mooning up
(Lyon, Parc de la tête d'or, 2014)

Aspectual marker

"up" is often used to describe the appearance or disappearance of something (sth) or someone (so). This is probably because up functions, as a particle, more like a degree adverb (complétude)

It also has a more directional component when combined with verbs of motion (come, go, drive, ride, etc.): vers le haut. Cf. the movie Up!, or the song "Up, up, and away, in my beautiful balloon"... ^^

Completive

• break up with so: rompre avec qqn

• break sth up: casser qqch, separate into parts, e.g. break up a fight, a monopoly...
• blow up: inflate, explode, gonfler, exploser

• do up (your hair, your tie): attacher les cheveux, faire des tresses, etc., nouer une cravate...
• dress up: wear fancy clothes
• eat up: manger tout, ronger

• mess up: tout confondre, tout foirer (compare the many more vulgar terms for the latter)
• mix up: confuse or mix thoroughly, tout mélanger, mêler les pinceaux

• fill up: remplir jusqu'au bord

• catch up: rattraper
• catch up on sth: rattraper
• catch up with so: rattraper le temps perdu

• wash up: se laver les mains, nettoyer, (se) laver, échouer (sur la plage)
• clean up: tout ranger, nettoyer
• tie up: ligoter, régler, attacher, accaparer l'esprit, ...
• tidy up: ranger
• straighten up: tidy up, behave properly, se déplier
• throw up: vomit
• mop up: nettoyer, éponger

• make up (for sth): (se) rattraper
• make up (with so): faire le paix avec qqn
• look up: chercher une information (dictionnaire, base de données), chercher jusqu'à ce qu'on trouve...
• get up: se lever
• wake up: se réveiller
• stand up: se mettre debout (see also upstanding)
• write sth / so up: make a formal report
• grow up: grandir se dit uniquement d'un enfant
• bring so up: raise, élever
• bring sth up: mention sth, start talking about sth, évoquer
• give up: abandon
• show up: appear, se pointer
• pop up: appear ex-nihilo (out of nowhere)

• brighten up:
• turn up:
• wise up: get smarter

Ex nihilo

• come upon: find unexpectedly, Εύρηκα!
• draw up (a plan):
• dream up: imagine (far-fetched stuff) fetch = to retrieve, to get. Cf. Dogs
• conjure up: fait rêver (not to be confused with fait dodo, or any other Cajun traditions)
• lawyer up: hire an attorney or a squad of attorneys
• make sth up: invent (make up a story, an excuse, etc.)
• make-up: eye liner, eye shadow, blush, base, lipstick, powder, ...
• stir up (trouble, discontent): agiter
• cook up (a plan): mijoter
• cook sth up:
• whip sth up (to eat):

Directional (more adverbial)

• go up(stairs): monter (à l'étage)
• go up to (sth / so): aller jusque devant...
• swim upstream: nager à contre-courant
• look up: regarder vers le haut, improving (things are looking up)