# chuck up

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/chuck-up
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to vomit — an informal, casual way to talk about being sick.

For teachers: to vomit; marked British informal / slang, generally inappropriate in formal or medical writing, where 'vomit' or 'be sick' is preferred.

## Examples

- He chucked up after eating the bad curry.
- Three pints in, his mate chucked up all over the taxi and had to pay for the cleaning.
- The cadet, unused to the heaving deck, chucked up over the railing while his instructor looked on with weary amusement.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The doctor asked if the patient had chucked up." but "The doctor asked if the patient had vomited." — 'chuck up' is too informal for medical or formal registers; learners should reach for 'vomit' or 'be sick' in those contexts.

## Usage notes

- strongly marked register — avoid in formal contexts and outside British English.
- Teaching tip: align with other British informal terms for vomiting ('throw up', 'be sick', 'puke'); useful for teaching register stacking since 'chuck up' sits below 'throw up' in formality.

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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.