to swot up
- phrasal verb
- /swɒt ʌp/
- UK
:
estudiar a fondo
- In order to pass the final assessment, students need to swot up on the course material thoroughly.
Examples
-
You know, I had every intention of swotting up on your poetry last night, but I fell asleep halfway through the first one.
-
Before the exam, she plans to swot up on all the important topics to ensure she is well-prepared.
-
He stayed up late to swot up for the chemistry test that was scheduled for the following day.
Synonyms
34
5.3
To study something quickly before a test
15
3.9
Study very hard in a short time for an exam
12
3.9
To study hard, usually by reading books or notes
9
7.6
To study quickly before an exam or important event
1
6.3
Work hard for a long time on something, often before an exam or deadline
To study very hard before an exam
To study a lot in a short time before a test
How Hard
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to study something intensively' is directly and predictably derived from 'swot' (to study intensively) with the particle 'up' contributing an intensifying/completive nuance. This verb+up phrasal pattern is common and regular in English, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would be able to infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Swot up comes from old student slang: swot meant 'to study hard' and people pictured students 'sweating' over their books. Adding up made the action stronger, so swot up means 'to study something intensively', especially before an exam.