up to snuff

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Snuff \Snuff\, n.
   1. The act of snuffing; perception by snuffing; a sniff.
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   2. Pulverized tobacco, etc., prepared to be taken into the
      nose; also, the amount taken at once.
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   3. Resentment, displeasure, or contempt, expressed by a
      snuffing of the nose. [Obs.]
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   {Snuff dipping}. See {Dipping}, n., 5.

   {Snuff taker}, one who uses snuff by inhaling it through the
      nose.

   {To take it in snuff}, to be angry or offended. --Shak.

   {Up to snuff}, not likely to be imposed upon; knowing; acute.
      [Slang]
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from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Up \Up\ ([u^]p), adv. [AS. up, upp, [=u]p; akin to OFries. up,
   op, D. op, OS. [=u]p, OHG. [=u]f, G. auf, Icel. & Sw. upp,
   Dan. op, Goth. iup, and probably to E. over. See {Over}.]
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   1. Aloft; on high; in a direction contrary to that of
      gravity; toward or in a higher place or position; above;
      -- the opposite of {down}.
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            But up or down,
            By center or eccentric, hard to tell. --Milton.
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   2. Hence, in many derived uses, specifically: 
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      (a) From a lower to a higher position, literally or
          figuratively; as, from a recumbent or sitting
          position; from the mouth, toward the source, of a
          river; from a dependent or inferior condition; from
          concealment; from younger age; from a quiet state, or
          the like; -- used with verbs of motion expressed or
          implied.
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                But they presumed to go up unto the hilltop.
                                                  --Num. xiv.
                                                  44.
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                I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth
                up.                               --Ps.
                                                  lxxxviii. 15.
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                Up rose the sun, and up rose Emelye. --Chaucer.
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                We have wrought ourselves up into this degree of
                Christian indifference.           --Atterbury.
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      (b) In a higher place or position, literally or
          figuratively; in the state of having arisen; in an
          upright, or nearly upright, position; standing;
          mounted on a horse; in a condition of elevation,
          prominence, advance, proficiency, excitement,
          insurrection, or the like; -- used with verbs of rest,
          situation, condition, and the like; as, to be up on a
          hill; the lid of the box was up; prices are up.
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                And when the sun was up, they were scorched.
                                                  --Matt. xiii.
                                                  6.
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                Those that were up themselves kept others low.
                                                  --Spenser.
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                Helen was up -- was she?          --Shak.
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                Rebels there are up,
                And put the Englishmen unto the sword. --Shak.
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                His name was up through all the adjoining
                provinces, even to Italy and Rome; many desiring
                to see who he was that could withstand so many
                years the Roman puissance.        --Milton.
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                Thou hast fired me; my soul's up in arms.
                                                  --Dryden.
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                Grief and passion are like floods raised in
                little brooks by a sudden rain; they are quickly
                up.                               --Dryden.
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                A general whisper ran among the country people,
                that Sir Roger was up.            --Addison.
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                Let us, then, be up and doing,
                With a heart for any fate.        --Longfellow.
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      (c) To or in a position of equal advance or equality; not
          short of, back of, less advanced than, away from, or
          the like; -- usually followed by to or with; as, to be
          up to the chin in water; to come up with one's
          companions; to come up with the enemy; to live up to
          engagements.
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                As a boar was whetting his teeth, up comes a fox
                to him.                           --L'Estrange.
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      (d) To or in a state of completion; completely; wholly;
          quite; as, in the phrases to eat up; to drink up; to
          burn up; to sum up; etc.; to shut up the eyes or the
          mouth; to sew up a rent.
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   Note: Some phrases of this kind are now obsolete; as, to
         spend up (--Prov. xxi. 20); to kill up (--B. Jonson).
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      (e) Aside, so as not to be in use; as, to lay up riches;
          put up your weapons.
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   Note: Up is used elliptically for get up, rouse up, etc.,
         expressing a command or exhortation. "Up, and let us be
         going." --Judg. xix. 28.
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               Up, up, my friend! and quit your books,
               Or surely you 'll grow double.     --Wordsworth.
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   {It is all up with him}, it is all over with him; he is lost.
      

   {The time is up}, the allotted time is past.

   {To be up in}, to be informed about; to be versed in.
      "Anxious that their sons should be well up in the
      superstitions of two thousand years ago." --H. Spencer.

   {To be up to}.
      (a) To be equal to, or prepared for; as, he is up to the
          business, or the emergency. [Colloq.]
      (b) To be engaged in; to purpose, with the idea of doing
          ill or mischief; as, I don't know what he's up to.
          [Colloq.]

   {To blow up}.
      (a) To inflate; to distend.
      (b) To destroy by an explosion from beneath.
      (c) To explode; as, the boiler blew up.
      (d) To reprove angrily; to scold. [Slang]

   {To bring up}. See under {Bring}, v. t.

   {To come up with}. See under {Come}, v. i.

   {To cut up}. See under {Cut}, v. t. & i.

   {To draw up}. See under {Draw}, v. t.

   {To grow up}, to grow to maturity.

   {Up anchor} (Naut.), the order to man the windlass
      preparatory to hauling up the anchor.

   {Up and down}.
      (a) First up, and then down; from one state or position to
          another. See under {Down}, adv.

                Fortune . . . led him up and down. --Chaucer.
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      (b) (Naut.) Vertical; perpendicular; -- said of the cable
          when the anchor is under, or nearly under, the hawse
          hole, and the cable is taut. --Totten.

   {Up helm} (Naut.), the order given to move the tiller toward
      the upper, or windward, side of a vessel.

   {Up to snuff}. See under {Snuff}. [Slang]

   {What is up?} What is going on? [Slang]
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