This car is acting up again.
I'd better get Carl to take a look at it.
To act up is a phrasal verb but its meaning changes based on the subject matter or the
circumstances.
If your children are acting up this means something different than if your car is acting
up.
Let's explore this idiom in more depth.
Here is the Meaning of the English Idiom Act Up or Acting Up To act up is probably used
most often in regards to children where it means to behave badly or cause trouble.
In regards to machinery or electronics it means to malfunction or to operate abnormally.
And, in regards to medical conditions and their symptoms, to act up means to become
active.
It's often used in regards to allergies, or arthritis and other chronic conditions.
Examples Of Use: "If you children keep acting up, we are not going to go to the amusement
park."
"I don't know what's wrong with my dog, he never acts up like this.
Maybe he's sick."
"My computer acted up yesterday so I wasn't able to get my report finished."
"The car is acting up so I'm going to have to take a cab to work today."
"Can you open this jar?" asked Mom.
"My arthritis is acting up."
"When my allergies act up I usually just take one pill, but today was a two-pill day!"
Origin of Idiom: This idiom has been used since around 1900.
In the case of this idiom to act means to do something or to behave in a certain way.
Therefore if your child is acting badly, it means they are behaving in a bad or inappropriate
way.
The word up makes this a phrasal verb and acts as an adverb.
As an adverb, up normally means to move to a higher position or level.
If you turn up the heat on your thermostat, you are turning it to a higher or warmer temperature
setting.
However, while up in the phrase act up definitely means a higher intensity, we can't understand
the nature of this higher level unless we already know the meaning, making this phrase
quite idiomatic.
We can see similar allusions in other idioms that use the word up.
For example, to warm up can a have one of several meanings: To warm up, in regards to
exercise or athletics means to prepare the body for more vigorous exercise or for competition
or a sports event by stretching, practicing, or slowly ramping up one’s activity in order
to warm up the body’s muscles.
It can also mean to get ready or prepare to do something as in 'warming up for the big
event.'
Or to build enthusiasm or excitement in an audience or crowd; to cause a person or group
to become more relaxed and friendly.
To become more friendly or affectionate toward a person with whom one initially did not get
along.
To prepare someone to like or accept something, such as a new idea or a change.
To reach an effective operating temperature, especially regarding vehicles or other machinery.
"In the winter I always have to warm up my car."
To reheat leftover food.
"I'm not gonna cook dinner tonight.
I'm just gonna warm up the stew from yesterday.
And finally, to near a state of violent confrontation.
All of these meanings share a sense of bringing something to a higher level or intensity.
"I was sent out to warm up the crowd so the main act would have an easier time, said the
performer.
I did most of the work and got none of the credit."
To warm up the crowd, then, means to bring their enthusiasm and excitement to a higher
level and make them more friendly toward the main attraction.
In other idioms up simply serves as an intensifier.
For example, to shut up means to stop talking or to be quiet.
Telling someone to shut up is an abrupt and rude way to tell them to stop talking.
Shut alludes to shutting their mouth, with up simply serving as an intensifier.
Thanks for watching another video from Idioms Online.
If you liked this video and found it helpful, please do me a favor and give it a thumbs
up.
And, I'd love it if you left me a comment below.
If you have any questions about idioms, I'm here to help!
And, as always, don't forget to subscribe and hit the bell notification icon if you
haven't already done so.
Thank you so much for watching.