# bring up

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bring-up
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to raise children

phrasal verb · CEFR B1

to care for a child and help them grow into an adult.

For teachers: to care for and educate a child until they reach adulthood. Inseparable when the object is a pronoun, but the noun object can sit between the verb and particle.

- He was brought up in a small town by his aunt and uncle.
- Having been brought up in a bilingual household, she navigated the cultural nuances of both countries with remarkable ease and sensitivity.

Usage: Often used in the passive voice (e.g., 'to be brought up').

### 2. to mention a topic

phrasal verb · CEFR B1

to start talking about a specific subject during a conversation.

For teachers: to introduce a subject or issue into a discussion or conversation. The object can be placed between 'bring' and 'up'.

- I didn't want to bring up the budget during our lunch break.
- The chairperson decided to bring up the matter of the declining quarterly profits at the very end of the board meeting.

Usage: Separable: 'bring the subject up' or 'bring up the subject'.

### 3. to vomit

phrasal verb · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

to empty the contents of your stomach through your mouth because you feel sick.

For teachers: to vomit or regurgitate food or liquid. This sense is slightly more polite than 'throw up' but remains informal.

- The baby brought up a little bit of milk after being fed.
- The patient reported that he was unable to keep any solid food down and would bring up even small sips of water.

Usage: Commonly used in British English when discussing illness or infants.

### 4. to charge legally

phrasal verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to make someone appear in court or before an authority for a crime.

For teachers: to cause someone to appear before a court or a person in authority to be judged or punished.

- He was brought up on charges of theft after the police found the goods.
- The officer was brought up before the disciplinary committee to answer for the alleged breach of protocol during the investigation.

Usage: Usually followed by 'on' (charges) or 'before' (an authority).

### 5. to start a system

phrasal verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to start a computer or a machine so that it is ready to use.

For teachers: to start or power up a mechanical or electronic system, particularly in a controlled or sequential manner.

- It took several minutes to bring up the main server after the power cut.
- The engineering team worked through the night to bring up the new network infrastructure before the start of the business day.

## Examples

- Please don't bring up work during dinner.
- She was brought up in a small village before moving to the city for university.
- The committee decided not to bring up the budget deficit until the final phase of the negotiations to avoid early conflict.

## Usage notes

- Teaching tip: distinguish between the 'mention' sense and the 'raise a child' sense; note that 'upbringing' is the related noun for the latter.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.