to weigh up
2
4.4
- phrasal verb
- /weɪ ʌp/
- UK
:
sopesar
- Are you prepared to weigh up the pros and cons of the various arguments regarding the use of 'function' in this paper?
If you're on the other end of the scale, I think you've got to weigh up the pros and cons.
- If you're on the other end of the scale, I think you've got to weigh up the pros and cons.
- Most taxpayers weigh up what they get in terms of public services for their tax money.
- So I quickly weighed up that, OK, it's less of lesser evil, but it's still not clever.
Examples
-
After diagnosis, men can also be faced with a variety of treatment approaches to consider and evaluate, having to weigh up side effect profiles of individual treatments as well as the perceived impact that certain treatments may have on their ability to return to work.
Academic text (2010) -
I think you need to weigh up all your options and let your conscience decide, Ken.
-
We had weighed up the options: wait another day, another 2 days, another 3 days?
Blog text (15) -
Most taxpayers weigh up what they get in terms of public services for their tax money.
-
The costs and benefits of the program will be easier to weigh up (both in general and for you in particular) with a little time.
Blog text (12) -
We study the facts, consult with our trusted advisors and stakeholders, weigh up the risks, and then make up our minds.
Blog text (13) -
The economics of crime prevention starts with a depressing assumption: executives simply weigh up all their options, including the illegal ones.
Blog text (21) -
I've been carefully weighing up pros and cons with travel requirements, etc. for a while.
Blog text (9) -
If you're on the other end of the scale, I think you've got to weigh up the pros and cons.
-
Before making a decision, you should weigh up all the relevant factors carefully.
Synonyms
∞
1.1
To think carefully before making a decision
335
3.2
To judge how good or useful something is
215
3.7
To think carefully about different things before deciding
105
3.2
To look at all the details and what may happen before you decide
103
3.2
Consider something when making a decision
8
3.8
Think carefully about different choices before you decide
8
3.0
To look at something carefully before deciding
Carefully compare the good and bad points before you decide
Antonyms
How Carefully
- US
70
6.2
- US
675
3.2
335
3.2
- UK
2
4.4
∞
1.1
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The verb 'weigh' (to evaluate) directly contributes the core meaning of assessing options, and the particle 'up' adds a sense of completing or thoroughly considering those options, so the overall sense is derivable from the parts. However, the specific phrasal-verb nuance introduced by 'up' and the convention of using a particle to signal thorough consideration may not be fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Weigh up comes from the image of a simple scale, where you weigh things to see which is heavier and lift one side up. So, to weigh up options means to compare them carefully before you 'decide'.