turn up

verb turns up · turning up · turned up

1. copulative, intransitive To show up; to appear suddenly or unexpectedly. Is this your t-shirt that turned up in my drawer?
2. transitive To cause to appear; to find by searching, etc. I spent hours in the archives, but couldn't turn up anything on the alleged criminal.
3. transitive To increase the amount of something by means of a control, such as the volume, heat, or light. Turn up the radio and sing along.
4. transitive To reposition by rotating, flipping, etc., upwards. He turned up his collar against the cold.
5. transitive To belay or make fast (a line on a cleat or pin). Turn up the main halyard.
6. intransitive, slang To party hard, especially when involving alcohol or drugs. We're going to turn up at the concert tonight.
7. UK, obsolete, slang, transitive To acquit. Thirty-six were cast for death, and only one was ‘topped’ (hanged), the very one that expected to be ‘turned up’ (acquitted) for highway robbery.
8. UK, slang, transitive To sicken. '[…] fair turned me up.' 'You get used to these things, lad,' Inspector Moss said as they trudged heavy-footed up the stairs. 'Though I know what you mean. The first time I saw a dead woman my stomach turned over. […]'

Opposite: turn down

noun turn ups

1. alternative Alternative spelling of turn-up