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Glite Dictionary
to head up

to head up

59 3.9
To lead a group or team
  • phrasal verb
  • /hɛd ʌp/
translation icon : dirigir
  • But, uh, do you wanna head up that detail when we travel?
  • head up the division

But not only that, I'm kind of heading up the the like ambassador team.

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Examples

  • Robert Bender, he's the agent who heads up the bureau in Chicago.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Look no further than their youth outreach campaign headed up by their super rad leader.

  • I want you to head up the case.

    Filth (2013)

  • We want you to head up the team.

    The Hard Corps (2005)

  • I'll be heading up the whole operation.

    Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2012)

  • I was on track to head up the Olympic squad.

    Blades of Glory (2007)

  • He's been heading up the research department on this project for the last 15 years.

    Independence Day (1996)

  • And Agent Smecker here is heading up the investigation with our full cooperation.

    The Boondock Saints (1999)

  • ARS weed scientist Frank Young heads up a multidisciplinary study to develop farming systems that will help.

    Academic text (1996)

  • We want you to head up the team.

Synonyms

to lead
vsto head up
∞ 1.0

To guide a group or be in charge

focuses on being in charge of a group or activity broadly
to head
vsto head up
465 2.9

To be in charge of a group or organization

is the phrasal way to express taking that overall responsibility
to take the lead
vsto head up
79 3.2

To start guiding a group or activity and make the main decisions

covers leading an entire group or organization rather than a single moment
to run the show
vsto head up
  • Informal
58 4.1

To be in charge of an activity or group

applies more generally to holding overall responsibility for a group
to front
vsto head up
24 4.8

To act as the public leader of a group or activity

emphasizes internal leadership and being in charge rather than representing
to take the helm
vsto head up
12 4.4

To lead an organization, group, or project

is a broader term for being in charge, not only formal takeover
to captain
vsto head up
10 3.0

To lead a sports team

applies more widely to leading any group or organizational activity
to hold the reins
vsto head up
  • Informal
3 4.9

To be in control of a group or business

is the verb phrase used to describe that overall control role
to carry the ball
vsto head up
  • Informal
2 4.6

Lead a project or task and make sure it is finished

is broader, covering being in charge of whole groups or activities
to lead the line
vsto head up
6.1

To stand at the front of a group and direct them

is about holding formal charge of the whole group rather than fronting it

Antonyms

to follow
∞ 1.0

To come after something in time or order

How Responsible

to manage
643 2.7
to head up
59 3.9
to supervise
189 3.5
to direct
240 1.6
to assist
605 1.0

Surface Forms

head up infinitive
headed up past
headed up past participle
heading up present participle
heads up third person singular

Morphology

head + up

The meaning 'to lead or be in charge' is transparently built from 'head' (a leader; to lead) combined with the particle 'up', which here adds a sense of taking charge or directing. This compositional pattern is common and parallels verbs in other languages (e.g. Spanish 'encabezar', French 'diriger'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would very likely infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Head up may come from the simple image of a head being up at the top of a group, so that person stands above the rest. So, to head up a team is to be at the top and 'to lead' or 'be in charge'.