stop up
B1 informal separable both
In simple words
To fill a hole so nothing can get through it, or to stay awake late at night.
Literal meaning: To stop the flow through something by plugging it.
Meanings
1 B1 neutral
To block or plug a hole, gap, or passage so nothing can pass through.
"We stopped up the gap under the door to keep the draught out."
Grammar: separable
2 B1 informal
(British English, informal) To stay awake until late at night.
"The children stopped up until midnight watching the New Year fireworks on television."
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
Has two main senses: the physical sense (blocking/plugging) is used in both British and American English; the sense of staying up late is more specifically British. The physical sense is separable; the intransitive 'stay awake' sense is not.
Commonly used with
hole drain pipe gap late all night
Forms
Base
stop up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
stops up
he/she/it
Past simple
stoped up
yesterday
Past participle
stoped up
have + pp
-ing form
stoping up
continuous
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