upper
♦ up|per /'ʌpər/
1 [ADJ] ADJ n, the ADJ
You use upper to describe something that is above something else.
There is a smart restaurant on the upper floor...
Students travel the cheap lower deck and tourists the upper.
≠ lower
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
You use upper to describe the higher part of something.
...the upper part of the foot.
...the upper rungs of the ladder.
≠ lower
3 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you have the upper hand in a situation, you have more power than the other people involved and can make decisions about what happens.
The government was beginning to gain the upper hand...
It was easy to see who had the upper hand.
4 [N-COUNT] usu pl
The upper of a shoe is the top part of it, which is attached to the sole and the heel.
Leather uppers allow the feet to breathe.up|per case
[ADJ] usu ADJ n
Upper case letters are capital letters.
Most schools teach children lower case letters first, and upper case letters later.
≠ lower case
[N-UNCOUNT]
Upper case is also a noun.
I'm wondering if `per capita' ought to have upper case, or should it be lower case?
≠ lower caseup|per class (upper classes)
also upper-class
[N-COUNT-COLL] usu the N
The upper class or the upper classes are the group of people in a society who own the most property and have the highest social status, and who may not need to work for money.
...goods specifically designed to appeal to the tastes of the upper class...
[ADJ] usu ADJ n
Upper class is also an adjective.
All of them came from wealthy, upper class families.up|per crust
also upper-crust
[N-SING-COLL]
The upper crust are the upper classes. (INFORMAL)
...the kind of lifestyle of the privileged upper crust.
[ADJ] ADJ n
Upper crust is also an adjective.
Sergeant Parrott normally spoke with an upper-crust accent.up|per lip (upper lips)
1 [N-COUNT] usu sing
Your upper lip is the part of your face between your mouth and your nose.
The beginnings of a moustache showed on his upper lip.
2 [N-COUNT]
Your upper lip is the higher of your two lips.
His upper lip was flat, but the lower one sagged.
≠ lower lip
1 [ADJ] ADJ n, the ADJ
You use upper to describe something that is above something else.
There is a smart restaurant on the upper floor...
Students travel the cheap lower deck and tourists the upper.
≠ lower
2 [ADJ] ADJ n
You use upper to describe the higher part of something.
...the upper part of the foot.
...the upper rungs of the ladder.
≠ lower
3 [PHRASE] PHR after v
If you have the upper hand in a situation, you have more power than the other people involved and can make decisions about what happens.
The government was beginning to gain the upper hand...
It was easy to see who had the upper hand.
4 [N-COUNT] usu pl
The upper of a shoe is the top part of it, which is attached to the sole and the heel.
Leather uppers allow the feet to breathe.up|per case
[ADJ] usu ADJ n
Upper case letters are capital letters.
Most schools teach children lower case letters first, and upper case letters later.
≠ lower case
[N-UNCOUNT]
Upper case is also a noun.
I'm wondering if `per capita' ought to have upper case, or should it be lower case?
≠ lower caseup|per class (upper classes)
also upper-class
[N-COUNT-COLL] usu the N
The upper class or the upper classes are the group of people in a society who own the most property and have the highest social status, and who may not need to work for money.
...goods specifically designed to appeal to the tastes of the upper class...
[ADJ] usu ADJ n
Upper class is also an adjective.
All of them came from wealthy, upper class families.up|per crust
also upper-crust
[N-SING-COLL]
The upper crust are the upper classes. (INFORMAL)
...the kind of lifestyle of the privileged upper crust.
[ADJ] ADJ n
Upper crust is also an adjective.
Sergeant Parrott normally spoke with an upper-crust accent.up|per lip (upper lips)
1 [N-COUNT] usu sing
Your upper lip is the part of your face between your mouth and your nose.
The beginnings of a moustache showed on his upper lip.
2 [N-COUNT]
Your upper lip is the higher of your two lips.
His upper lip was flat, but the lower one sagged.
≠ lower lip