Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adverb In, to, or toward a higher place, level, or position.
  • adverb Toward a higher position in a hierarchy or on a socioeconomic scale.
  • adverb Toward the head or upper parts.
  • adverb Toward a higher amount, degree, or rank.
  • adverb Toward a later time or age.
  • adjective Directed toward a higher place or position.
  • idiom (upward/upwards) More than; in excess of.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Directed or turned to a higher place; having an ascending direction, literally or figuratively.
  • noun The top; the height.
  • Toward a higher place; in an ascending course: opposed to downward.
  • Toward heaven and God.
  • With respect to the higher part; in the upper parts.
  • Toward the source or origin: as, trace the stream upward.
  • More: used indefinitely.
  • On; onward.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Directed toward a higher place.
  • noun obsolete The upper part; the top.
  • adverb In a direction from lower to higher; toward a higher place; in a course toward the source or origin; -- opposed to downward.
  • adverb In the upper parts; above.
  • adverb Yet more; indefinitely more; above; over.
  • adverb more than; above.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb In a direction from lower to higher; toward a higher place; in a course toward the source or origin; -- opposed to downward; as, to tend or roll upward.
  • adverb In the upper parts; above.
  • adverb Yet more; indefinitely more; above; over.
  • adverb Directed toward a higher place; as, with upward eye; with upward course.
  • noun obsolete The upper part; the top.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb to a later time
  • adjective directed up
  • adverb spatially or metaphorically from a lower to a higher position
  • adjective extending or moving toward a higher place

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old English upweardes. See up, ward.

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