Definition

1. Verb:
   • To remain awake and out of bed, especially later than the usual time for sleeping: The phrase "stay up" means to intentionally not go to bed, often to do a specific activity.

Usage

• "Stay up" is an intransitive phrasal verb. It does not take a direct object.
• It is commonly used to describe the action of delaying sleep.
• It often implies a specific reason for remaining awake, such as studying, working, or watching something.

Examples

• Verb:
  • Don't stay up so late—you have to go to work tomorrow.
  • We stayed up all night to watch the election results.
  • The children were allowed to stay up past their bedtime on New Year's Eve.

Advanced Usage

• "to stay up for [something]": To remain awake in order to witness or participate in a specific event.
  • I'm going to stay up for the meteor shower tonight.
• "to stay up until [a time]": To remain awake until a specified hour.
  • He stayed up until 3 a.m. finishing his report.

Variants and Related Words

• Sit up (phrasal verb): Often used interchangeably with "stay up" to mean remaining awake, especially in a seated position. It can emphasize the effort or alertness involved.
  • We sat up talking until dawn.
• Keep late hours (idiom): To habitually go to bed very late.
  • As a writer, he tends to keep late hours.

Synonyms

• Remain awake: To continue being conscious and not asleep.
• Burn the midnight oil (idiom): To work or study very late into the night.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Stay in: To remain at home.
  • We decided to stay in and watch a movie.
• Stay out: To remain away from home, especially late at night.
  • Her parents worry when she stays out late.

Related Idioms

• Pull an all-nighter: To stay awake all night, typically to work or study.
  • She had to pull an all-nighter to prepare for the final exam.

Verb

1. not go to bed
   • Don't stay up so late--you have to go to work tomorrow
   • We sat up all night to watch the election