1 B2 idiomatic informal
To arrive at a place, especially unexpectedly or at the end of a long or meandering journey.
"After years of travelling, he finally fetched up in a small village in Portugal."
fetch up
B2 informal intransitive
To arrive somewhere, often unexpectedly or after a long or indirect journey; or (older) to vomit.
In plain English
To end up in a place, sometimes without planning to get there.
What does "fetch up" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
(British dialectal/informal) To vomit.
"He felt so ill on the boat that he fetched up over the side."
3 C1 formal
(Nautical/archaic) To stop suddenly, as a vessel does when an anchor catches.
"The ship fetched up hard against the sandbar."
Usage tip
Chiefly British English. In its most common modern sense, 'fetch up' means to arrive or end up somewhere, often after a long or wandering journey. An older, now less common sense means to vomit (British dialectal). In American English, 'end up' or 'wind up' are preferred equivalents.
Words that pair with "fetch up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
somewhere place city doorstep situation eventually
How to conjugate "fetch up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
fetch up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
fetches up
he/she/it
Past simple
fetched up
yesterday
Past participle
fetched up
have + pp
-ing form
fetching up
continuous
Hear "fetch up" in the wild
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