Word
layup
Countable noun
Definition
n. a simple basketball shot where you jump and put the ball into the hoop. It is usually easy to make because you are close to the basket.
n. a basketball shot taken while jumping toward the basket, typically from a short distance. Often used in a figurative sense to describe an easy or guaranteed success.
Examples
“He made a perfect layup to win the game.”
“The coach told the player to take a layup instead of trying to shoot from the three-point line.”
“The rookie's ability to finish with a layup under pressure proved to be the deciding factor in the championship series.”
Examples
simple
“He made a perfect layup to win the game.”
contextual
“The coach told the player to take a layup instead of trying to shoot from the three-point line.”
complex
“The rookie's ability to finish with a layup under pressure proved to be the deciding factor in the championship series.”
Etymology
From lay + up.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/layup