Anonymous  +  694221 Sat, 04 Apr 09 08:03 AM Normally, for a non-English speaker, “up” has the implication of “Upward” as opposed to “downward”. So, some verb+proposition phrases, which have evolved for so long that  English learners might not be able to comprehend just from literal meanings, do frustrate them.. For example , “let up” “ round up” “set up”.  Take “let up”. Up, in this sense, implicates stop doing something. This, I think, may derive from “ Time is up”. But why “UP’? why is it not “over”,or “out”? You see, Time is running out, The sands of time are running out. It dawns on me that It may be related to the ancient timing instrument.------the sandglass. When the sands have run out, you should put the sandglass upside down. Now the sands of time are up, that is “Time is up”. In this way, “UP” acquired the meaning of “over” ,”out”,or “end”, as in “die-up”, “end-up”. Am I right? But this cannot account for “round up”( to drive the cattle) ,”set up”( to frame), “UP” must have other meanings, can you help me?   Anonymous Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Languages

	RayH  +  694351 Sat, 04 Apr 09 05:16 PM I think you will find that many prepositions are used in idiomatic ways that defy etymological or even logical explanation. As far as I know they simply have to be memorized. RayH Joined on Sat, Mar 22 2008 Contributing Member 1,555 Native speaker of U. S. English. Not a grammar expert. Prepositions

	Philip  +  695435 Wed, 08 Apr 09 01:10 AM RayH “I think you will find that many prepositions are used in idiomatic ways that defy etymological or even logical explanation. As far as I know they simply have to be memorized. ” Exactly! I think you will most likely not find a list of "up" expressions, so each needs to be learned as an individual vocabulary item.  You might start a list of your own that you can review from time to time. mix up, add up, join up, dig up, are a few that come to mind as I write this. {just thought of "write" up}. By the way.  Many bi-lingual dictionaries will list these under the heading of the verb itself, but don't look for them in strictly English dictionaries. Philip Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005 Veteran Member 8,733 At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen Vocabulary, Prepositions, Countries, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Languages