Up And...
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "up and" means suddenly; unexpectedly; without warning when placed right before a verb.
synonyms: suddenly, all at once, out of nowhere
Hillbilly Dude Says...
You'll hear 'up and left' and others - and it's all about the surprise. It's a common one down here. Hillbilly Dude Says...
You'll hear 'up and left' and others - and it's all about the surprise. It's a common one down here. Pronunciation
[UP-n]
/ʌp.ən/
/ʌp.ən/
Meaning & Usage
- Sudden or unexpected action (adverbial construction)
Loretta:
He up and quit that job this mornin’.
He up and quit that job this mornin’.
Jase:
Well, I reckon he up and had enough of it.
Well, I reckon he up and had enough of it.variations: up-an’, up ’n’, up ’n
★ If you want to add extra punch, folks stack it with "done" - as in "he done up and lost his mind." That’s the deluxe version. ★
Origin and Etymology
This construction traces back to early 19th-century Southern and Appalachian English and is tied to Scots-Irish narrative patterns brought by settlers in the upland South. "Up" functions as an aspect marker signaling abruptness, while "and" links directly into the verb to emphasize a surprising or rapid action. The form later spread nationwide through literature and media but remains culturally rooted in the South and Appalachia.
Usage Notes
"Up and" appears widely today, but its strongest and most natural home remains the rural South and Appalachia. It usually signals a sudden, decisive action, often one taken out of frustration, impulse, or emotion. Speakers may intensify it with "done," creating forms like "done up and" or "up and done," though these remain variations of the same underlying pattern.
- Up and + verb → sudden action ("She up and cried.")
- Done up and + verb → emphatic sudden action ("He done up and quit.")
- Up and done + verb → older, rural variant
- Not typically used in formal writing except for stylistic flavor
Kin Topics
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, November 14). Up And.... HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/up-and
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Up And...." HillbillySlang.com, 14 Nov. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/up-and.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Up And...." HillbillySlang.com. November 14, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/up-and.
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Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...