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Collin ONeil Posted 6 years ago
Grammar

Is "Up" after some verbs optional?

From time to time, I see the preposition up appearing alongside a verb or a verb phrase and doesn't add anything to the meaning (or at least, it seems so).

Examples:

Buckle (up)! We have a long journey ahead of us!

People Snuggle (up) to each other.

Let's finish this (up)

I can't mess this (up)

You came (up) to me to say this?

In those sentences (and in other expressions too) is the particle optional? Because, (to me, at least) they have the same meaning as the verb/verb phrase itself.

  

Top answer

Collin ONeil doesn't add anything to the meaning (or at least, it seems so). It seems to me it usually does. Collin ONeil Buckle (up)!

  • Collin ONeil doesn't add anything to the meaning (or at least, it seems so).
  • It seems to me it usually does.
  • Collin ONeil Buckle (up)!
  • We have a long journey ahead of us!
  • "Buckle!
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1 Answers
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Collin ONeildoesn't add anything to the meaning (or at least, it seems so).

It seems to me it usually does.

Collin ONeilBuckle (up)! We have a long journey ahead of us!

"Buckle! We have a long way ahead of us!" We just don't say it that way. "Buckle up" has come to mean "fasten your seatbelt".

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