1 B1 informal
The time of day when the sun rises; dawn or sunrise.
"The farmers were already out in the fields by sun up, making the most of the long summer days."
sun up
B2 informal
The time when the sun rises; sunrise; daybreak — used as an informal noun or in time expressions.
In plain English
The moment in the morning when the sun comes up and it gets light.
What does "sun up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
Used in the expression 'from sun up to sundown' to mean throughout the entire day, from morning to evening.
"During harvest season, they worked from sun up to sundown without a break."
“
I work from sun up to sundown.
— Traditional American folk/labor expression; widely attested in US literature and song lyrics
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
The sun coming up (rising).
Actually means
The moment in the morning when the sun comes up and it gets light.
Usage tip
Primarily used as a noun phrase ('from sun up to sun down') rather than as a verb. Common in American English, especially in Southern and rural dialects. Typically appears in the expression 'from sun up to sundown/sun down' meaning all day long. Not standard in formal written English.
Words that pair with "sun up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
sundown dawn morning rise work day
How to conjugate "sun up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
sun up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
suns up
he/she/it
Past simple
suned up
yesterday
Past participle
suned up
have + pp
-ing form
suning up
continuous
Hear "sun up" in the wild
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