Man Upstairs
1
8.6
- noun
- Informal
:
el Hombre de Arriba
- HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE MAN UPSTAIRS.
Examples
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THE MAN UPSTAIRS?
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IF THE MAN UPSTAIRS CHOSE HIM TO BE THE SPECIAL, THERE MUST BE A REASON.
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WHO'S THE MAN UPSTAIRS?
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MasterBuilders SPEND YEARS TRAINING THEMSELVES TO CLEAR THEIR MINDS ENOUGH TO HAVE EVEN A FLEETING GLIMPSE OF THE MAN UPSTAIRS, AND YET, YOUR MIND IS ALREADY SO PRODIGIOUSLY EMPTY THAT THERE IS NOTHING IN IT TO CLEAR AWAY IN THE FIRST PLACE.
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During difficult times, many people find comfort in talking to the Man Upstairs and seeking guidance.
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She said a little prayer to the Man Upstairs before starting her big presentation.
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In times of trouble, he often looks up and asks the Man Upstairs for strength and wisdom.
Surface Forms
Morphology
man + Upstairs
The constituents 'man' and 'upstairs' give a clear image of a person located above, which can hint at a supernatural being in a higher place; however, the specific euphemistic use to mean 'God' is a cultural extension not directly predictable from the words alone. A B1 learner who knows the individual words might plausibly interpret it literally (someone who lives upstairs) and would likely need prior exposure to recognize the devotional idiom.
Etymology
Man Upstairs may come from the image of a house where an important man lives upstairs in the top room. People used this picture for 'God' who seems to watch from above, so the phrase now means 'God' or a higher power.