PhrasesHub

upping sticks

    Definitions

      • to leave a place and go somewhere else
        To indicate moving or relocating to a new location, often with the implication of leaving behind one's current situation or home

      • to make a sudden change in plans or actions
        To signify a sudden decision to change course or alter one's plans, often with the implication of acting impulsively or without much forethought

    Examples of upping sticks

    • Sally and her family decided to upping sticks from their crowded city apartment and move to a spacious house in the countryside.

      Upping sticks is an idiom that means to leave a place, usually your home, and move to another one. In this example, Sally and her family are tired of living in a cramped apartment in the city and are choosing to move to a bigger house in the countryside.

    • After years of struggling to find work, Tom felt it was time to upping sticks and start afresh in a new city.

      Tom's job search in his current location hasn't been successful, so he's deciding to leave and start over somewhere else. Upping sticks in this context is a way of saying Tom is moving to a new city in the hope of finding better job opportunities.

    • The business has been struggling, and we've had to upstick and find a smaller office to reduce our overheads.

      Upsick in this example is being used as a variation on the idiom upping sticks, where instead of moving from a place, the company is having to move to a smaller, more affordable location.

    • After a long and happy retirement, it's time for my grandparents to up and leave their home and move into a care facility.

      Upping sticks can also be used to describe someone moving into a new living situation, like my grandparents are doing here. They've had a lovely retirement and are now choosing to move into a care facility where they will have more support and care.

    • The retired couple decided to upping sticks and move to a warmer climate, as they couldn't bear the cold winters anymore.

      The idiom "upping sticks" means to leave a place abruptly or moving to a new location. In this example, the retired couple's decision to move to a warmer location is depicted as quickly packing their belongings and leaving their previous residence behind ("upping sticks"). They couldn't bear the cold winters any longer, making their decision to move immediate.

    • After years of hard work, the young entrepreneur upped sticks and moved the business to a more spacious location.

      The idiom "upping sticks" may also be used to describe a business's relocation or expansion. In this example, the young entrepreneur's decision to move the business to a more spacious location is depicted as quickly moving the business and leaving the previous location behind ("upping sticks"). The use of this idiom in a business context suggests that the move was accomplished with a great deal of urgency.

    • The CEO decided to upping sticks and leave the company amidst a power struggle with the board of directors.

      The idiom "upping sticks" may also be used to describe the sudden departure of an individual from a company or organization. In this example, the CEO's decision to leave the company amidst a power struggle with the board of directors is depicted as quickly leaving the company and taking their belongings with them ("upping sticks"). The use of this idiom in a business context suggests that the CEO's departure was swift and unexpected.

    • The painter upped sticks and moved his studio to a more peaceful location.

      The idiom "upping sticks" may also be used to describe the relocation of an artist or creator's workspace. In this example, the painter's decision to move his studio to a more peaceful location is depicted as quickly moving his belongings and leaving the previous location behind ("upping sticks"). The use of this idiom to describe an artist's workspace suggests that the painter's decision to move was made swiftly and perhaps even abruptly.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "upping sticks" can be used to express both the act of physically leaving one place to go to another, as well as the idea of making a sudden change in plans or actions. It is commonly used in informal language to convey the sense of moving or changing abruptly.

    Origin of "upping sticks"

    The origin of the idiom "upping sticks" can be traced back to the early 19th century in Britain. The term "sticks" refers to the bundles of wood or belongings that people would carry when moving from one place to another. "Upping" is derived from the verb "to up," meaning to lift or raise. Therefore, "upping sticks" originally referred to the act of lifting or raising one's bundles of belongings in preparation for leaving a place.

    Over time, the idiom evolved to encompass the broader idea of leaving or relocating, whether physically or metaphorically. It became a common expression to convey the notion of suddenly departing or making an abrupt change in plans, and it continues to be used in this way today. The idiom has also spread beyond Britain and is now recognized and used in various English-speaking countries.