up and down

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up and down (not comparable)

1. upward and downward, alternately.

   Coordinate term: back and forth

   the tide goes up and down

   my blood pressure goes up and down

   She looked me up and down and hinted that I could do with losing some weight.

2. (idiomatic) alternately forwards and backwards along a path

   walk up and down the corridor

3. (idiomatic) staunchly, unwaveringly, obstinately

   He swore up and down that he hadn't taken the money.

   • 2006, Stephen Baker, Bomb Ass Pussy:

     Christina is straight up and down fuckable.

4. In various places, e.g. in a country.
   • 2022 January 12, Paul Bigland, “Fab Four: the nation's finest stations: Eastbourne”, in Rail, number 948, page 27:

     There's also a barber's shop and that staple of railway stations up and down the UK - a WH Smith.

• ups and downs

up and down (not comparable)

1. (nautical) Vertical; perpendicular; said of the cable when the anchor is under, or nearly under, the hawse hole, and the cable is taut.
2. (figurative) plain; downright

   an up and down honest man