come up to
B1 neutral inseparable transitive
In simple words
To walk up to someone, or to be as good as you expected something to be.
Literal meaning: To move upward and reach as far as a particular point.
Meanings
1 A2 neutral
To approach or walk toward someone or something.
"A young child came up to me in the park and asked if I had seen her dog."
Grammar: inseparable
2 B1
idiomatic
neutral
To reach or meet a required standard or level of quality.
"The hotel was a disappointment—it simply didn't come up to our expectations."
Grammar: inseparable
3 A2 neutral
To reach as far as a certain height or point.
"The floodwater came up to the doorstep before it finally started to recede."
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
The 'approach' sense is A2 level and very transparent. The 'meet a standard' sense, often used in negatives ('it didn't come up to expectations'), is more idiomatic and B1–B2 level.
Commonly used with
standard expectations mark scratch level requirements
Forms
Base
come up to
I/you/we/they
3rd person
comes up to
he/she/it
Past simple
came up to
yesterday
Past participle
come up to
have + pp
-ing form
coming up to
continuous
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