look up

To find information by checking a book, website, or other source.

• Look up the new word.
• I looked her phone number up online.
• Have you looked up the opening times?

How to use it: look something up (I looked the address up before leaving.); look something up in/on something (Look the word up in a dictionary.)

Similar words: check, search for

Common phrases: look up something, look something up

To turn your eyes toward something above you.

• Look up at the birds.
• He looked up when he heard his name.
• I was looking up at the sky.

How to use it: look up at something (She looked up at the ceiling.)

Similar words: raise your eyes

Opposites: look down

Common phrases: look up at something, look up suddenly

If things do this, they become better or seem more likely to go well.

• Things are starting to look up.
• Business looked up after we moved to a larger shop.
• With three new customers, our prospects are looking up.

Similar words: improve, get better

Opposites: worsen

Common phrases: things look up, look up again

To contact or visit someone you knew before, especially when you are near their home.

• Look me up when you visit.
• I looked up an old friend while in London.
• She plans to look her former teacher up next summer.

How to use it: look someone up (Look me up if you’re ever in Berlin.)

Similar words: visit, get in touch with

Common phrases: look up someone, look someone up