Stand-up

a. and sb. [f. vbl. phrase stand up: see STAND v. 103.] A. adj.

  1.  That stands erect; esp. of a collar, upright as distinguished from one folded over or turned down.

1812.  Sporting Mag., XXXIX. 167. The stand-up Infantry Feather.

1813.  in R. J. Macdonald, Hist. Dress R. A. (1899), 48. A false stand-up collar of Belgian fashion.

1890.  M. Williams, Leaves of a Life, II. xviii. 160. He wore … a low stand-up collar, and a dark cravat.

1897.  Westm. Gaz., 24 Dec., 4/1. A whole series of fanciful ‘stand-up’ cards.

  b.  Of a person: Standing up boldly. Also transf. (jocular) of beer. rare.

1841.  Dickens, Barn. Rudge, xxxix. He was … one of the finest, stand-up men, you ever see. Ibid. (1844), Martin Chuz., xxv. An atmosphere of steak, and strong, stout, stand-up English beer.

  c.  Projecting; spec. in Book-binding (see quot.).

1818.  Art Bookbinding, 2. Stand-up-bands, the bands that the sheets are sewed too, projecting from the back.

  2.  Performed in a standing posture. Of a meal or other refreshment: Taken standing.

1862.  Macm. Mag., May, 28/1. Generally, the receptions end with stand-up suppers.

1899.  Daily News, 10 Jan., 2/7. The encouragement of hurried, stand-up drinking at a counter. Ibid. (1900), 1 Sept., 5/1. Double Canadian canoe race, stand-up canoe race.

  b.  Of a vehicle: Having standing accommodation only.

1840.  Civil Engin. & Arch. Jrnl., III. 39/1. The fare for travelling in the stand-up-carriages amounts only to one penny a mile.

  3.  Pugilism. Of a contest: In which the combatants stand up fairly to one another without wrestling, flinching or evasion; esp. in (a fair, square, etc.) stand-up fight.

1811.  [see SPARRING vbl. sb.³ 1].

1860.  Ld. W. Lennox, Pict. Sporting Life, II. 7. A regular slashing mill … no manœuvering—no dodging…; a real stand-up affair—foot to foot—front to front.

1881.  Sportsman’s Year-bk., 310. Rules for Boxing. The match to be a fair stand-up boxing match, in a 24-ft. ring.

1898.  W. H. (Bullock) Hall, Romans on Riviera, v. 46. In a stand-up fight a Ligurian was considered a match for a Gaul twice his size.

  fig.  1849.  Stovel, Canne’s Necess., Introd. p. xc. The conflict of the Puritans became a direct stand-up fight with legalized and unconcealed episcopal domination.

1872.  O. W. Holmes, Poet Breakf.-t., i. His face marked with strong manly furrows, records of hard thinking and square stand-up fights with life.

  B.  sb.

  † 1.  pl. ? Long boots. (Cf. STARTUP.) Obs.

1590.  Greene, Never too late (1600), O 1. His holy day roabes went on, his standvps new blackt, his cap faire brusht.

  2.  A dance. (Cf. STAND v. 103 c.) vulgar.

1861.  Mayhew, Lond. Labour, III. 202/1. It was a penny a dance for each of ’em as danced, and each stand-up took a quarter of an hour.

  3.  A stand-up fight.

1867.  J. K. Hunter, Retrosp. Artist’s Life, xi. (1912), 112. A stand-up of one round was commenced, in which Tam got twa blue e’en and otherwise sair dauded.

  4.  A function or meal at which one stands.

1884.  Haweis, Musical Life, I. iii. 80. Whewell’s evening parties—called by the freshmen Whewell’s ‘Stand-ups,’ because undergraduates were not supposed to ‘sit’ on these solemn occasions.

1902.  Westm. Gaz., 4 June, 1/1. Luncheon is to be provided … and there will also be a ‘stand up’ at the buffet.

  5.  Short for stand-up collar.

1905.  ‘H. Haliburton,’ Excursions, 36. He will wear starched stand-ups.