AI for Breakfast

Post 164 - It’s the weekend - Idiom of the day

Up sticks

Figurative meaning

"Up sticks" means to pack up one's belongings and move to a new place, often suddenly or unexpectedly.

Typical usage

This idiom is commonly used in British English to describe a situation where someone decides to leave their current home or location and relocate elsewhere. It is often used to convey a sense of abruptness or a significant change. For example:
- "After living in the city for 20 years, they decided to up sticks and move to the countryside."
- "When the job offer came through, she upped sticks and moved to New York within a week."

Origin

The phrase "up sticks" has its roots in the early 19th century in Britain. It is believed to originate from the action of pulling up tent stakes or sticks, which were used to secure tents to the ground. When people moved their camps or homes, they would pull up these sticks as part of the process. The expression evolved to mean any significant relocation, even when tents were no longer involved.

Over time, "up sticks" became a more general term for moving house, often implying a degree of spontaneity or a fresh start in a new place.