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# upright

«upright» in Mova's school dictionary: **standing or sitting straight up, not lying down or leaning** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (upright); adverb (upright); noun (an upright, uprights)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Upright means standing or sitting straight up, not lying down or leaning. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#m1)

2) An upright person is honest and good. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#m2)

3) An upright is a post that stands straight up, like the side posts of a goal. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#m3)

4) An upright piano is a tall piano that stands against a wall. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In maths and science, upright means vertical: at a right angle to the ground; a shape or object «stands upright». In safety: keep bottles upright so they don't spill; sit upright in a car seat; in first aid, someone with a nosebleed should sit upright and lean forward. On planes: «return your seats to the upright position». Phrases: «sit upright», «stand upright», «keep upright», «bolt upright» (suddenly very straight).

### examples

- Sit upright at your desk. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#x1)
- Keep the bottle upright so it doesn't leak. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#x2)
- The tree was still upright after the storm. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#x3)
- The ball hit the upright and bounced back. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#x4)
- She sat bolt upright when she heard the noise. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#x5)
- He is an upright and honest man. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#x6)
- We have an upright piano in the hall. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#x7)
- Penguins walk upright on two feet. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#x8)
- Then the bearskin fell away from them, and they stood upright once more. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/#x9)

### note

One word. «Upright» is similar to «vertical» and «straight up»; the opposite is «lying down» or «horizontal». «Upright» can also mean honest, but that use is a bit formal. Do not mix up with «uptight» (nervous, tense).

### In the corpora

- [Seals can sleep floating upright with their noses up, hold their breath for many minutes and close their nostrils tightly when they dive.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/100-sea-lions-seals-and-otters/9/)
- [Goosebumps happen when tiny muscles pull hairs upright; in furry animals this fluffs up the fur to trap warm air or look bigger.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/263-human-body-deeper-bones-muscles-and-skin/15/)
- [Chopsticks are never stuck upright in rice, and it is fine to ask for a fork.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/128-guest-at-the-table-and-the-phone/12/)
- [Never stand chopsticks upright in rice; in some Asian cultures it looks like a funeral custom.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/323-greetings-handshakes-goodbyes-please-and-table-manners/19/)
- [Its tail fin drives it forward, and its other fins steer and keep it upright.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/world/74-fish-frogs-reptiles/1/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «upright» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/upright/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.