What Does “Feel sb up” Mean?
“Feel sb up” means to touch someone in a sexual or inappropriate way, often without their consent. It is usually used to describe unwanted or improper physical contact.
Introduction
The phrase “Feel sb up” is a common informal phrasal verb in English. It usually refers to someone touching another person, often in a way that is considered inappropriate or sexual. Understanding the “Feel sb up meaning” is important because it is often used in conversations about personal boundaries and consent. While the phrase can appear in casual speech, it can also describe serious situations, so it’s essential to use it carefully. This guide explains the meaning, grammar, and examples to help you use this phrase correctly and understand it when you hear it in everyday English.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: Feel sb up (feel somebody up)
- Type: Transitive
- Level: B2 – C1
- Short meaning: To touch someone sexually or inappropriately, often without permission
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Feel sb up” is a transitive and separable phrasal verb. The object (sb = somebody) always comes between “feel” and “up.”
- Correct pattern: Feel + somebody + up
- Example: He felt her up at the party.
- Incorrect: Feel up somebody (wrong order)
How to Use “Feel sb up”?
You use “feel sb up” to describe unwanted or inappropriate touching, usually in a sexual context. It often appears in stories or conversations about harassment or unwanted advances. Because of its sensitive meaning, it is mostly used in informal contexts or serious discussions about behavior. It is not polite to use this phrase jokingly or lightly because it refers to a violation of personal space.
Examples
Here are some examples to show how “feel sb up” is used in sentences:
- At the concert, someone tried to feel me up, and I had to move away quickly.
- She reported that a man felt her up on the bus last night.
- Feel sb up in a sentence: “He got arrested for feeling up a stranger without her permission.”
- It is important to speak out if someone feels you up against your will.
- Many people share stories about being felt up in crowded places.
Common Mistakes
People often confuse the order or use this phrase in the wrong context. Here are some common mistakes:
- Incorrect: She felt up him at the party.
- Correct: She felt him up at the party.
- Incorrect: I don’t want to feel up anyone.
- Correct: I don’t want to feel anyone up.
Also, avoid using this phrase lightly as it refers to serious and sensitive behavior.
Differences / Synonyms
There are similar phrases like “grope,” “touch up,” or “molest,” but they have different levels of formality and meaning.
- Grope: Similar meaning, often more formal or legal.
- Touch up: Usually means to improve or fix something, not related to inappropriate touching.
- Molest: More serious and formal, refers to sexual abuse or assault.
“Feel sb up” is informal and mostly used in spoken English to describe unwanted touching, while “molest” is used in legal or serious contexts.
Common Collocations
Here are some common objects or people often used with “feel up”:
- Feel a woman up: To touch a woman inappropriately.
- Feel a stranger up: To touch someone unknown without permission.
- Feel someone up on public transport: Describes unwanted touching in crowded places.
- Feel sb up at a party: Common situation where this may happen.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of feel sb up:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “feel sb up”:
Anna: Last night at the club, someone felt me up without asking.
John: That’s awful! Did you tell anyone?
Anna: Yes, I reported it to the security staff immediately.
Practice
Try filling in the blanks with the correct form of the phrasal verb:
- He was arrested because he ________ a woman up on the train.
- It’s wrong to ________ someone up without their permission.
- She said a man tried to ________ her up at the concert.
FAQs
- What does “feel sb up” mean? It means to touch someone in a sexual or inappropriate way, usually without consent.
- Is “feel sb up” formal or informal? It is informal and often used in spoken English.
- Can “feel sb up” be used jokingly? It is not recommended because the phrase refers to serious and sensitive behavior.
- What is a synonym for “feel sb up”? “Grope” is a similar word but more formal and often used in legal contexts.
- Is “feel sb up” always negative? Yes, it usually describes unwanted or inappropriate touching.
