Meaning
search for information (e.g., in a dictionary or online); improve in condition; visit or contact someone from the past.
Primary Function
search for information, express improvement, or reconnect with someone.
Communicative Purpose
to find missing information, indicate positive change, or reestablish contact with someone.
Pattern
look up
Core Structure
look up
Função primária
search for information, express improvement, or reconnect with someone.
Propósito comunicativo
to find missing information, indicate positive change, or reestablish contact with someone.
Situações de gatilho
when you don't know a word's meaning, when researching online, when noticing improvement or wanting to reconnect with an old friend.
Contextos
everyday conversation, academic study, professional settings.
Padrão
look up
Estrutura central
look up
Slots de substituição
the information being searched for, the person being visited, or the condition improving.
Colocados típicos
- in the dictionary
- online
- on Google
- improve
- get better
- visit.
Substituições comuns
- search for (more general)
- find (less precise)
- improve (for positive change)
- visit (for reconnection).
Erros comuns
confusing 'look up' with looking upward physically (e.g., 'I looked up at the sky'), or using it only intransitively when a direct object is needed.
Similar / contraste
look for (general search without directional implication), seek out (more deliberate or intentional search).
Interferências
Learners from languages where verbs encode direction may misinterpret 'look up' as physical motion; context determines whether it means searching, improving, or visiting.
Família do chunk
- look up to
- look down on
- look after
Nuance
neutral in register; can mean searching for information, indicating improvement, or recontacting someone — meaning depends on context.
Efeito pragmático
conveys a proactive approach to solving a knowledge gap or signaling optimism about a situation.
Dica de memória
search or improve
Nota
Phrasal verb with multiple meanings, separable and intransitive usage, high frequency in various contexts.
Upgrade path
consult (more formal synonym for searching information), admire (for 'look up to')
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