ENGLISH
REFERENCE

upstairs

n. place
A2 Elementary Oxford US //əpˈstɛɹz// up·stairs General-service Humorous Informal Slang

n. on or to a higher floor of a building. You use this when you are moving toward the top of a house or talking about what is above you.

n. situated on or relating to an upper floor of a building. Functions as a locative adverb or a post-positive adjective.


SIMPLE

I am going upstairs to get my coat.

CONTEXTUAL

The children are playing quietly upstairs while the adults finish their dinner in the kitchen.

COMPLEX

Although the ground floor remains relatively cool during the summer months, the heat tends to accumulate upstairs, making the bedrooms uncomfortable without proper ventilation.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From up- + stair + -s.

Usage

Typically functions as an adverb of place following a verb of motion or position; can also follow a noun as a post-modifier.

Pitfall

I am going to upstairsI am going upstairsUpstairs is an adverb of place and does not require the preposition 'to' when used with verbs of motion.

Idioms1 entry

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