get up to
phrasal verb.phrasal verb. to do something, especially something secret or slightly bad that you should not be doing.
phrasal verb. to be involved in or busy with a particular activity, often with an implication of mischief, secrecy, or minor misconduct.
What did you get up to last weekend?
The children are very quiet, which usually means they are getting up to no good.
While the manager was away on business, the junior staff got up to all sorts of antics that would never have been permitted under his supervision.
often used in questions about free time or to describe children's behavior.
highlight the common collocation 'get up to no good' as it perfectly captures the slightly mischievous nuance of this phrasal verb.
What did you get up to it?What did you get up to?the phrase is often used intransitively at the end of a question, so do not add an extra 'it' as an object.
Last updated April 24, 2026