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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Linguistics Studies

"knit" and the particle "up".

If you are bored, why don't you knit a sweater?
If you are bored, why don't you knit the sweater?

Could the latter example have a meaning of "carry on with knitting the sweater you started"?

If so, what would, "I'll knit the sweater up while I've got time on my hands" mean?
  

Top answer

-- Yes. -- The same situation.

— Mister Micawber

  • -- Yes.
  • -- The same situation.
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4 Answers
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Could the latter example have a meaning of "carry on with knitting the sweater you started"?-- Yes.

If so, what would, "I'll knit the sweater up while I've got time on my hands" mean?-- The same situation.
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Hi,

Shakespeare knew about everything, including knitting.

Macbeth does murder sleep, the innocent sleep,
Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleeve of care

Clive
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Many thanks for the replies and the superb quote.

What function do you think the particle "up" has here:

I'll knit him a sweater.
I'll knit a sweater up for him.
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As here, 'up' is a particle meaning 'to completion' or 'completely'; it is often a sort of intensifier, as it isn't really needed for information in the first example below:

I finally finished up my homework.
Hurry up!
Please clean up your room today.
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