uppish, a.
(ˈʌpɪʃ)
Also 8–9 upish.
[f. up adv.2 + -ish.]
† 1. a. Flush of money. Obs.
| 1678 in Pollock Popish Plot (1903) App. B. 382 The one saying to the other that..he would treat him..with wine and oysters, whereupon the other replied..: ‘What you are uppish then, are you?’ a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Uppish, rampant, crowing, full of Money. He is very Uppish, well lined in the Fob; also brisk. |
† b. Elevated in station. Obs.
| 1797 Hubbub 7 No sooner did he get a little uppish in the world, than [etc.]. |
2. † a. Elated; in high spirits; cock-a-hoop.
Common in the early years of the 18th century, freq. const. upon. Johnson (1755) defines as ‘proud; arrogant’ and adds ‘A low word’.
| α a 1704 T. Brown Wks. (1720) I. 173 Half-pay Officers at the Parade very uppish upon the Death of the King of Spain. 1708 T. Cockman in Ballard MSS. XXI. 81 Ye Brittish Papists were mighty uppish upon ye attempt made upon Scotland. 1722 Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 643 The Jacobites are uppish, and very big in their hopes. 1746 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. I. 289, I fear the Victory will have very bad consequences, if it render the Ministry uppish and secure. |
| β 1710 Wentworth Papers (1883) 122 The Torys are very upish and expect all to come in for Places. 1712 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 25 Jan., I find Dingley smelled a rat; because the Whigs are upish; but if ever I hear that word again, I'll uppish you. 1802 A. Carlyle Autobiog. (1861) 154 He agreed with me that they [sc. the Jacobites] had less ground for being so sanguine and upish than they imagined. |
† b. Elevated with drink. Obs.—1
| 1728 Vanbrugh Journey to London iii. i, Lady Head. Not so drunk, I hope, but that he can drive us? Serv. Yes, yes, Madam, he drives best when he's a little upish. |
c. Ready to take offence; short-tempered, peevish. Now dial. or Obs.
| 1778 F. Burney Evelina lv, Miss is so uppish this morning, that I think I had better not speak to her again. 1785 Grose Dict. Vulgar T., Uppish, testy, apt to take offence. 1823 E. Moor Suffolk Words 460 A man prone to take offence is said to be uppish:—or pepperish; apt to be hot. 1863 Mrs. C. Brock Margaret's Secret ii. 31 When I used to find fault he would get uppish with me, and answer back rudely. |
d. Inclined to be ‘stuck up’; putting on airs; aiming at gentility.
| 1789 O'Keefe Farmer i. ii, Must bounce a few, Betty's so upish—likely wou'dn't have me else. 1823 Blackw. Mag. XIII. 365 It is according to human nature to feel uppish on preferment. 1858 Trollope Dr. Thorne xxxiv, You think he's an uppish sort of fellow, I know, and you don't like to trouble him. 1886 Besant Childr. Gibeon ii. xxxii, She's uppish you know,..and he's only a working-man. |
e. dial. (See quots.)
| 1841 Hartshorne Salop. Ant. Gloss. 605 Uppish, pert, proud, impudent. 1854 A. E. Baker Northampt. Gloss., Uppish, captious, pert, self-opinionated, tenacious of opposition. |
3. Characterized by presumption or affectation of superiority.
| a 1734 North Exam. (1740) 48 It seems [that] daring to rail at Informers..and Officers was not uppish enough, but his Lordship must rise so high as daring to limit the Power..of the Crown. 1808 E. Hamilton Cottagers of Glenburnie ii. 37 Besides, she is getting uppish notions, from sitting up like a lady from morning to night. 1864 J. H. Newman Apol. 100 Discouraging and correcting whatever was uppish or extreme in our followers. |
4. Slightly elevated or directed upwards.
| 1862 Morn. Star 9 June, Hayward sends a long uppish hit. 1887 Daily News 1 July 6/4 After two uppish strokes Mr. Scott hit remarkably well. 1895 Westm. Gaz. 2 March 5/1 Peel was there to hold the uppish ball. |
Hence ˈuppishness.
| 1716 N. Hough in Thoresby Corr. (1832) II. 341 The uppishness and indiscretion..of some..in the West Riding. a 1832 Bentham Chrestom. Tab. i, Uppishness a probable result of the distinctions thus obtained. 1867 Gard. Chron. 16 Nov. 1180/1 The uppishness, the insolence, and the lawlessness of some of the young men. 1896 J. H. Wylie Hist. Eng. Hen. IV, III. 468 The staid authorities resented his uppishness; but his spirit was irrepressible. |