[UP- 5. Cf. prec. and WFris. opset, Norw. uppsett, Da. opsat, Sw. uppsatt.]
1. Set up, erected, raised up, etc.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 70. Now is he in þe see with saile on mast vpsette.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 204. Ther scholde be tofore his bed A bord upset and faire spred.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 108. Trees þat hauyn yn hem many braunches and rotes, and þe stoke vpsette.
1430–40. Lydg., Bochas, IX. 23. Ful of idoles upset on hihe stages.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, II. iii. 53. Scharslie the statw was in thair temple wpset, Quhen all hir membris bittir teris swet.
1658. A. Fox, Würtz’ Surg., III. xii. 253. An upset hand is sooner bowed, than a hand which hangeth down, to be set upright.
1824. Mactaggart, Gallovid. Encycl., 362. Puir Girzey, wi’ her upset chin.
† b. Upset mouth, UPSET sb. 3 a. Obs.
1580. Blundevil, Art of Riding, III. xxvii. 54. The square ports, otherwise called vpset mouthes.
1607. Markham, Cavel., II. 52. He … for a more libertie to the tongue, giueth allowance to the cannon, with the vpset mouth. Ibid., 64. Others to these vpset mouthes, haue added … a strong trench.
2. Of price: Stated as the lowest sum for which property exposed to auction will be sold; named as the sum from which bidding may start. Orig. Sc. and U.S.
1814. Act 54 Geo. III., c. 137 § 42. The Price … shall not be less than the last upset Price at which it had been exposed to public Sale.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xiv. Mr. Glossin offered the upset price for the lands and barony of Ellangowan.
1834. Spectator, 8 Nov., 1066/1. The price at which land [in U.S.] is … sold, varies from the upset price to many pounds sterling per acre.
1866. Veness, El Dorado, App. 178. All Crown lands [in S. Australia] are open to purchase at the upset price of £1 per acre.
1884. Public Opinion, 3 Oct., 434/2. The mansion, park, and home farm … were bought in, the highest bid … being considerably under the upset price.
3. Overturned, capsized. Upset race (see quot. 1876).
1842. C. Whitehead, R. Savage (1845), I. x. 135. He … threw him over the upset table.
1876. Encycl. Brit., IV. 812/2. Canoes for ‘upset races’ (where the canoeist has to jump out, tow his boat while swimming, and then get in).
1882. Daily News, 3 July, 5/2. An upset hansom is a rare thing.
