Phrase guide

bring up

verb · 20 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bring, up: To bring from a lower to a higher position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • When you're in the basement, can you bring up the paints?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To mention.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Don't bring up politics if you want to have a quiet conversation with that guy.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To raise or rear (children).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • She did well enough bringing up two sons and a daughter on her own.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To uncover, to bring from obscurity; to resurface (e.g. a memory)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • A short Internet search brought up some amazing details of this story.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To turn on power or start, as of a machine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Wait a minute while I bring up my computer.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To check (a newly-assembled printed circuit board) for errors.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, electrical-engineering, electricity, electromagnetism, electronics, energy, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

Examples

  • Anyone who's been tasked with bringing up a board knows how trying it is.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To vomit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I was very ill today; I kept bringing up everything I ate.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To stop or interrupt a flow or steady motion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To reach a particular score, especially a milestone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: ball-games, cricket, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

Examples

  • Warner smacked a four over midwicket to bring up his century.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To legally charge and put on trial; to position (someone) for judgement or examination by authority.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To level type or make it ready for printing by overlaying it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

Topics: media, printing, publishing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To prepare a vein for an injection.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

cause to load (an operating system) and start the initial processes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • boot your computer

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: boot, reboot

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: resuscitate, revive

14

verb

Meaning 14

make reference to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • His name was mentioned in connection with the invention

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mention, advert, cite, name, refer

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: think of, have in mind, mean

Narrower terms: commend, remember, speak of the devil, quote, cite, touch on, invoke, appeal, namedrop, raise, bring up, drag up, dredge up, cross-refer

15

verb

Meaning 15

put forward for consideration or discussion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • raise the question of promotions
  • bring up an unpleasant topic

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: raise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mention, advert, bring up, cite, name, refer

16

verb

Meaning 16

summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • raise the specter of unemployment
  • he conjured wild birds in the air
  • call down the spirits from the mountain

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: raise, conjure, conjure up, invoke, evoke, stir, call down, arouse, put forward, call forth

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: make, create

Narrower terms: curse, beshrew, damn, bedamn, anathemize, anathemise, imprecate, maledict, bless

17

verb

Meaning 17

cause to come to a sudden stop

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The noise brought her up in shock

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: stop

18

verb

Meaning 18

raise from a lower to a higher position

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Raise your hands
  • Lift a load

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: raise, lift, elevate, get up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: move, displace

Narrower terms: get up, jack, jack up, shoulder, kick up, hoist, lift, wind, trice, trice up, run up, pump, levitate, underlay, skid, pinnacle, chin, chin up, raise, leaven, prove, heighten, hike, hike up, boost, pick up, lift up, gather up, rear, erect

19

verb

Meaning 19

promote from a lower position or rank

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This player was brought up to the major league

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: promote, upgrade, advance, kick upstairs, raise, elevate

20

verb

Meaning 20

bring up

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • raise a family
  • bring up children

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rear, raise, nurture, parent

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: fledge, cradle, foster

History

Etymology

From Middle English bryngen up, dissimilated from Middle English upbryngen (“to bring up, raise”). Doublet of upbring.

Across languages

Translations

104 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: բարձրացնել (barjracʻnel) — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • Esperanto: levi — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • Finnish: tuoda ylös — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • German: hochbringen — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • German: hinaufschaffen — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • Italian: sollevare — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • Macedonian: качува (kačuva) — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • Macedonian: крева (kreva) — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • Spanish: levantar — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • Spanish: alzar — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • Spanish: traer [desde abajo] — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • Tamil: தூக்கு (tūkku) — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • Venetan: levar — bring from a lower to a higher position
  • Armenian: հիշատակել (hišatakel) — mention
  • Finnish: mainita — mention
  • German: erwähnen — mention
  • German: mit etwas kommen / ankommen — mention
  • Greek: αναφέρω (anaféro) — mention
  • Italian: menzionare — mention
  • Italian: nominare — mention
  • Korean: 꺼내다 (kkeonaeda) — mention
  • Latin: memorō — mention
  • Latin: obiiciō — mention
  • Persian: مطرح کردن (matrah kardan) — mention
  • Spanish: traer a colación — mention
  • Spanish: sacar a relucir — mention
  • Spanish: plantear — mention
  • Spanish: sacar a colación — mention
  • Spanish: sacar el tema — mention
  • Tagalog: maungkat — mention
  • Tagalog: ungkatin — mention
  • Tamil: எழுப்பு (eḻuppu) — mention
  • Armenian: դաստիարակել (dastiarakel) — raise or rear children
  • Armenian: մեծացնել (mecacʻnel) — raise or rear children
  • Belarusian: выхо́ўваць (vyxówvacʹ) — raise or rear children
  • Belarusian: вы́хаваць (výxavacʹ) — raise or rear children
  • Bulgarian: възпита́вам (vǎzpitávam) — raise or rear children
  • Bulgarian: възпи́там (vǎzpítam) — raise or rear children
  • Chinese Cantonese: 養 /养 (joeng5) — raise or rear children
  • Chinese Cantonese: 養大 /养大 (joeng5 daai6) — raise or rear children
  • Chinese Mandarin: 撫養 /抚养 (fǔyǎng) — raise or rear children
  • Chinese Mandarin: 養大 /养大 (yǎngdà) — raise or rear children
  • Czech: vychovávat — raise or rear children
  • Czech: vychovat — raise or rear children
  • Danish: opdrage — raise or rear children
  • Dutch: opvoeden — raise or rear children
  • Esperanto: kreskigi — raise or rear children
  • Esperanto: eduki — raise or rear children
  • Finnish: kasvattaa — raise or rear children
  • French: élever — raise or rear children
  • Georgian: გაზრდა (gazrda) — raise or rear children
  • German: erziehen — raise or rear children
  • German: aufziehen — raise or rear children
  • German: großziehen — raise or rear children
  • German: grossziehen — raise or rear children
  • German: aufbringen — raise or rear children
  • Greek: ανατρέφω (anatréfo) — raise or rear children
  • Greek: μεγαλώνω (megalóno) — raise or rear children
  • Ancient Greek: ἀνατρέφω (anatréphō) — raise or rear children
  • Ido: edukar — raise or rear children
  • Ingrian: kasvattaa — raise or rear children
  • Irish: tóg — raise or rear children
  • Italian: crescere — raise or rear children
  • Japanese: 育てる (sodateru) — raise or rear children
  • Korean: 키우다 (kiuda) — raise or rear children
  • Kyrgyz: тарбиялоо (tarbiyaloo) — raise or rear children
  • Latvian: audzināt — raise or rear children
  • Lithuanian: ugdyti — raise or rear children
  • Macedonian: воспитува (vospituva) — raise or rear children
  • Macedonian: воспита (vospita) — raise or rear children
  • Macedonian: одгледува (odgleduva) — raise or rear children
  • Macedonian: одгледа (odgleda) — raise or rear children
  • Norwegian Bokmål: oppdra — raise or rear children
  • Polish: wychowywać — raise or rear children
  • Polish: wychować — raise or rear children
  • Portuguese: criar — raise or rear children
  • Quechua: watay — raise or rear children
  • Russian: воспи́тывать (vospítyvatʹ) — raise or rear children
  • Russian: воспита́ть (vospitátʹ) — raise or rear children
  • Russian: расти́ть (rastítʹ) — raise or rear children
  • Russian: вы́растить (výrastitʹ) — raise or rear children
  • Scottish Gaelic: tog — raise or rear children
  • Slovak: vychovávať — raise or rear children
  • Slovak: vychovať — raise or rear children
  • Slovene: vzgajati — raise or rear children
  • Slovene: vzgojiti — raise or rear children
  • Spanish: criar — raise or rear children
  • Swedish: uppfostra — raise or rear children
  • Tamil: வளர் (vaḷar) — raise or rear children
  • Thai: เลี้ยงดู (líiang-duu) — raise or rear children
  • Thai: ฟูมฟัก (fuum-fák) — raise or rear children
  • Ukrainian: вихо́вувати (vyxóvuvaty) — raise or rear children
  • Ukrainian: ви́ховати (výxovaty) — raise or rear children
  • Venetan: norir — raise or rear children
  • Vietnamese: nuôi nấng — raise or rear children
  • Vietnamese: nuôi — raise or rear children
  • Welsh: magu — raise or rear children
  • Zhuang: rungx — raise or rear children
  • Finnish: keskeyttää — stop or interrupt
  • Greek: διακόπτω (diakópto) — stop or interrupt
  • Greek: σταματάω (stamatáo) — stop or interrupt
  • Italian: interrompere — stop or interrupt
  • Spanish: detener — stop or interrupt
  • Spanish: interrumpir — stop or interrupt