What Does “Look sth up” Mean?
“Look sth up” means to search for information about something, usually in a book, online, or another source.
Introduction
The phrase “look sth up” is a common phrasal verb used in English when someone wants to find specific information. Whether you want to find the meaning of a word, check a fact, or find a phone number, you can “look it up.” The look sth up meaning is simple: it refers to searching for information in a reliable source. This phrase is useful for learners because it appears frequently in conversations, writing, and formal situations. Knowing how to use it correctly helps you communicate better and understand instructions or advice involving research.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: look something up
- Type: transitive
- Level: A2–B2
- Short meaning: to search for information in a book, database, or online
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Look sth up” is a separable phrasal verb. This means you can place the object either between “look” and “up” or after “up.”
- Look something up
- Look up something
For example: “I will look the word up” and “I will look up the word” are both correct.
How to Use “Look sth up”?
You can use “look sth up” whenever you want to find information. It is often used with nouns like words, numbers, names, or facts. It can refer to searching in books, dictionaries, databases, or online sources.
Example: “If you don’t know the meaning, look the word up in the dictionary.”
This phrasal verb is polite and helpful in both casual and formal contexts.
Examples
Imagine you are reading a book and find a word you don’t understand. You might say:
- “I need to look this word up.”
- “Can you look up the address for me?”
- “She looked up the phone number in the directory.”
- “We looked up the train times online.”
- “He looks up new recipes on the internet.”
These examples show how “look sth up” is used naturally in sentences.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes learners make mistakes with the word order or usage. For example, they might say:
- Incorrect: “I will look up it.”
- Correct: “I will look it up.”
- Incorrect: “Look up the book this.”
- Correct: “Look this book up.”
Remember, if you put the object between “look” and “up,” it must be a noun or pronoun. Pronouns (like it, them) cannot go after “up.”
Differences / Synonyms
“Look sth up” is similar to “search for” or “check.” However, “look sth up” usually means checking something in a specific source like a dictionary or database, while “search for” is more general.
Other phrasal verbs like “find out” mean to discover information but do not emphasize using a source.
Example:
- “I looked up the word in the dictionary.” (using a source)
- “I found out the answer yesterday.” (discovered information)
Common Collocations
Here are some common objects used with “look sth up” and their meanings:
- Look up a word: check the meaning of a word
- Look up a phone number: find a telephone number
- Look up a fact: verify information
- Look up a name: find details about a person
- Look up an address: find location details
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of look sth up:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation showing “look sth up” in use:
Anna: Do you know what “ubiquitous” means?
Ben: Not exactly. I’ll look it up in my dictionary.
Anna: Thanks! I always look up new words to improve my English.
Practice
Try to complete the sentences with the correct form of “look sth up”:
- I need to _______ the train schedule before we leave.
- Can you _______ the phone number for the restaurant?
- She always _______ new words in the dictionary.
- We should _______ the address online.
FAQs
- Q: Is “look sth up” formal or informal?
A: It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal situations.
- Q: Can I use “look up” without an object?
A: Usually, “look up” needs an object, but in some cases, it can be used alone if the context is clear.
- Q: What is the difference between “look up” and “search for”?
A: “Look up” means searching in a specific source, while “search for” is more general.
- Q: Can I say “look up it”?
A: No, the correct form is “look it up.”
- Q: Is “look sth up” separable?
A: Yes, you can separate the verb and particle with the object.
