having gained an advantage in some way that betokens success, especially over rivals.
leading an opponent by one point or one scoring unit.
The home team was one up on the visitors.
one each; tied at a score of one.
The score was one up in the ninth inning.
Printing. with only one reproduction of a form per sheet or on a given sheet.
We must print this job one up.
Journalism. using one more column of space than of type.
First recorded in 1920–25
First recorded in 1960–65
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The same logic works in reverse: travelers who want a London IP for the BBC iPlayer or a Tokyo IP for region-locked Japanese services can spin one up in seconds.
From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026
Airlines love to one up each other when it comes to new perks for big-spending business travelers and vacationers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
After all, little free libraries are worldwide and a great way to off-load and, if you’re lucky, pick one up too.
From Slate • Mar. 8, 2026
You can pick one up for less than a fiver.
From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026
I’ll bundle this one up with the rest and add them to the box.
From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
