stand-up, a. and n.
[f. vbl. phrase stand up: see stand v. 103.]
A. adj.
1. a. That stands erect; esp. of a collar, upright as distinguished from one folded over or turned down.
| 1812 Sporting Mag. XXXIX. 167 The stand-up Infantry Feather. 1813 in R. J. Macdonald Hist. Dress R.A. (1899) 48 A false stand-up collar of Belgian fashion. 1890 M. S. Williams Leaves Life II. xviii. 160 He wore a low stand-up collar and a dark cravat. 1897 Westm. Gaz. 24 Dec. 4/1 A whole series of fanciful ‘stand-up’ cards. |
b. Of a person: Standing up boldly. Also transf. (jocular) of beer. rare.
| 1841 Dickens Barn. Rudge xxxix, He was..one of the finest, stand-up men, you ever see. 1844 ― Mart. Chuz. xxv, An atmosphere of steak, and strong, stout, stand-up English beer. |
c. Projecting; spec. in Bookbinding (see quot.).
| 1818 Art Bookbinding 2 Stand-up-bands, the bands that the sheets are sewed too, projecting from the back. |
d. stand-up comic (also stand-up comedian), a comedian whose act consists of standing before an audience and telling a succession of jokes.
| 1966 Listener 11 Aug. 194/1 In television complex sentences need to be eschewed, especially by stand-up comics. 1969 Ibid. 24 Apr. 588/2 The audience, used to jazz singers, satire companies or stand-up comedians, could make nothing of his work. 1969 New Yorker 14 June 92/2 Bruce had just begun to surface as a standup comic. a 1975 Wodehouse Sunset at Blandings (1977) vi. 44 I've known Home Secretaries who were as cheerful as stand-up comics. 1980 D. MacKenzie Raven & Paperhangers i. 9 Playing straight man to a stand-up comic in a Vegas night club. |
2. a. Performed in a standing posture. Of a meal or other refreshment: Taken standing. Also, designating a cafeteria or other establishment at which patrons stand at a counter to eat or drink; and applied to the counter itself.
| 1862 Macm. Mag. May 28 Generally, the receptions end with stand-up suppers. 1899 Daily News 10 Jan. 2/7 The encouragement of hurried, stand-up drinking at a counter. 1900 Ibid. 1 Sept. 5/1 Double Canadian canoe race, stand-up canoe race. 1920 H. G. Wells Outl. Hist. xviii. 130/2 A stand-up buffet for light refreshments. 1971 R. J. White Second-Hand Tomb v. 59 Jasper..took a peep into the stand-up bar. 1981 M. C. Smith Gorky Park i. vii. 87 A stand-up cafeteria next to the children's store. |
b. Of a vehicle: Having standing accommodation only.
| 1840 Civil Engin. & Arch. Jrnl. III. 39/1 The fare for travelling in the stand-up-carriages amounts only to one penny a mile. |
3. Pugilism. Of a contest: In which the combatants stand up fairly to one another without wrestling, flinching or evasion; esp. in (a fair, square, etc.) stand-up fight.
| 1811 [see sparring vbl. n.3 1]. 1860 W. P. Lennox Pict. Sporting Life II. 7 A regular slashing mill..no manœuvering—no dodging..; a real stand-up affair—foot to foot—front to front. 1881 Sportsman's Year-bk. 310 Rules for Boxing. The match to be a fair stand-up boxing match, in a 24-ft. ring. 1898 W. H. Bullock-Hall Romans on Riviera v. 46 In a stand-up fight a Ligurian was considered a match for a Gaul twice his size. |
| fig. 1849 Stovel Canne's Necess. 90 The conflict of the Puritans became a direct stand-up fight with legalized..episcopal domination. 1872 O. W. Holmes Poet at Breakf.-t. i, His face marked with strong manly furrows, records of hard thinking and square stand-up fights with life. |
B. n.
† 1. pl. ? Long boots. (Cf. startup.) Obs.
| 1590 Greene Never too late (1600) O 1, His holy day roabes went on, his standvps new blackt, his cap faire brusht. |
2. A dance. (Cf. stand v. 103 c.) vulgar.
| 1861 Mayhew Lond. Labour III. 202/1 It was a penny a dance for each of 'em as danced, and each stand-up took a quarter of an hour. |
3. A stand-up fight.
| 1867 J. K. Hunter Retrosp. Artist's Life xi. (1912) 112 A stand-up of one round was commenced, in which Tam got twa blue een. |
4. A function or meal at which one stands. Also rarely, a counter at which stand-up refreshment can be obtained and consumed.
| 1884 Haweis Musical Life i. iii. 80 Whewell's evening parties—called by the freshmen Whewell's ‘Stand-ups’, because undergraduates were not supposed to ‘sit’ on these solemn occasions. 1897 ‘Mark Twain’ Following Equator xiii. 143 He halted in front of the best restaurant, then glanced at his clothes and passed on, and got his breakfast at a ‘stand-up’. 1902 Westm. Gaz. 4 June 1/1 Luncheon is to be provided..and there will also be a ‘stand up’ at the buffet. |
5. Short for stand-up collar.
| 1905 ‘H. Haliburton’ Excurs. 36 Starched stand-ups. |
6. An act of failing to keep an engagement or ‘date’ with another; also, to give (someone) the stand-up. Cf. stand v. 103 q. slang (orig. U.S.).
| 1921 A. G. Empey Madonna of Hills vii. 56, I wonder if that jane's double-crossed me and and given me the stand-up? 1940 R. Chandler Farewell, my Lovely xxxix. 297 ‘It's a little late, but I've had a lot to do.’ ‘Another stand-up?’ Her voice got cool. 1961 J. Maclaren-Ross Doomsday Bk. ii. vii. 172 Find out where he's ringing from if it's another stand-up. 1977 D. Ramsay You can't call it Murder i. 15 We made a dinner date... He didn't show up... I'd write it off as an ordinary stand-up, except that he left that ten-gallon job [sc. hat] behind. |
7. A police indentification parade. U.S. slang.
| 1935 A. J. Pollock Underworld Speaks 113/2 Stand-up, the police line-up; show-up. 1949 Philadelphia Even. Bull. 14 Apr. 2/4 Jackson was brought to City Hall last night to take a look at Norman in a police standup, but he could not positively identify the prisoner. |