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to climb up

to climb up

127 1.0
To move up using hands and feet, often with effort
  • phrasal verb
  • /klaɪm ʌp/
translation icon : subir
  • I'm too short to reach it, so I have to climb up on a chair without being seen.

It's like these crazy people that climb up the side of buildings with no ropes.

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Examples

  • OK, we have to climb up this hill. This is a very steep hill.

  • Few were adventurous and climbed up onto a container.

  • I think that it's impossible to climb up a wall like this.

  • Yeah, you have to climb up onto it from their left hand back.

  • Yeah, let's just climb up to the first draw and let go.

  • So I climbed up on a roof to her window.

  • You know, it's one thing to work hard to climb up a mountain and get to the summit.

  • Now we are going to climb up to the Eversview Hotel.

  • Climb up on the stool.

  • We had to climb up the rocky path to reach the mountain summit.

Synonyms

to climb
vsto climb up
1.0

Move up using your hands and feet, for example on rocks

is similar but stresses gradual motion rather than just effort
to rise
vsto climb up
718 1.0

To move upward into the air, like smoke or mist

is specifically physical and usually involves effort and hands
to come up
vsto climb up
571 2.2

To move from below to a higher place, like a diver rising to the surface

is deliberate upward travel using the body rather than appearing
to go up
vsto climb up
442 1.0

To move to a higher position

is more physical and implies effort and gradual progress
to mount
vsto climb up
85 3.6

To increase or grow over time

is physical upward motion rather than abstract or gradual increase
to ascend
vsto climb up
54 4.0

To move upward to a higher place, for example up a hill or into the sky

is more physical and often slower, using hands and feet
to move up
vsto climb up
43 2.0

Go to a higher place or level

is physical and emphasizes upward movement with bodily effort
to scale
vsto climb up
15 3.1

To climb up a wall or ladder to reach a higher place

is broader, applying to general upward movement not only steep surfaces
to inch up
vsto climb up
5 4.2

To go up slowly in small amounts

is physical upward movement that may be steadier and effortful
to ascend the mountain
vsto climb up
3.7

To climb a mountain

is the general upward movement not limited to mountainous terrain
to edge up
vsto climb up
5.6

Move slowly and carefully forward to get closer in a crowd

is upward progression often using both hands and feet rather than careful edging

Antonyms

150 2.7

Move from a higher to a lower place

How Difficult

to clamber
19 5.6
to climb up
127 1.0
to scale
15 3.1

Surface Forms

climb up infinitive
climbed up past
climbed up past participle
climbing up present participle
climbs up third person singular

Morphology

climb + up

The meaning 'to rise to a higher position or level' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'climb' (to rise) with 'up' (to a higher place). This motion-verb + particle pattern, including the straightforward metaphorical extension to rank or status, is cross-linguistically common and would be inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Climb up paints a clear picture: climb (using your hands and feet) and up (to a higher place), like going up a tree or stairs. So it means 'to move upward' with effort.