1 A2 informal
To drive a vehicle to a place and stop it there, switching off the engine.
"We parked up near the beach and walked the rest of the way."
inseparable
park up
A2 informal inseparable transitive/intransitive
To bring a vehicle to a stop and leave it parked in a particular spot.
In plain English
To stop your car and park it somewhere.
What does "park up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 informal
(British, of a lorry driver or traveller) To stop a vehicle for the night or for an extended period.
"The truck driver parked up at the services for a few hours' rest."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To park a vehicle and come to a full stop.
Actually means
To stop your car and park it somewhere.
Usage tip
Predominantly British and Australian English. More colloquial than simply 'park'. Often used when the parking is the final action at the end of a journey.
Words that pair with "park up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
car van lorry outside nearby somewhere
How to conjugate "park up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
park up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
parks up
he/she/it
Past simple
parked up
yesterday
Past participle
parked up
have + pp
-ing form
parking up
continuous
Hear "park up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "park up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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