[UP- 4. Cf. WFris. opsette, MDu. opsetten (Du. opzetten), (M)LG. upsetten, MHG. ûfsetzen (G. aufsetzen), MSw. upsätia, -sättia (Sw. uppsätta), (M)Da. opsætte in sense 1. With senses 4–6 cf. OVERSET v. 3–4.]
I. 1. trans. † a. To set up, raise up, erect. Obs. (Cf. UPSET pa. pple. 1.)
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., I. 395. Bordis of cipresse Playn & direct, vpsette hem in their kynde A foote atwyn.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, XI. i. 15. Ane akin tre … Apone a motys hycht vpset hes he.
1608. Topsell, Serpents, 26. The serpent fierce … rough scales vpsetteth that were deiected.
† b. To establish. Obs.–1
1559. in R. Keith, Hist. Ch. & St. Scot. (1734), 111. To advance the Glory of God, by maintaining and upsetting true Preachers of the Word.
c. techn. To force back the end of (a metal bar, etc.) by hammering or beating, esp. when heated.
1677. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., i. 11. You may Up-set it, that is, take a Flame Heat, and set the heated end upright upon the Anvil, and hammer upon the cold end till the Heated end be beat or up-set into the Body of your Work.
1688. Holme, Armoury, III. 88/2. Up-set, is when at a heat the Iron is beaten back into the Body of the work.
1841. Penny Cycl., XX. 156/2. Wire ropes may be … secured at their ends by passing them through the small end of a conical collar, and doubling up, or upsetting, the ends of the wires.
1869. Sandberg, trans. Styffe’s Iron & Steel, 11. The author ‘upset’ or stubbed the bars at the ends.
1884. C. G. W. Lock, Workshop Receipts, Ser. III. 286/2. A pick should never be ‘upset,’ or hammered endwise.
d. Agric. To ridge up.
1764. Museum Rust., III. 321. Fifth ploughing, sowing earth, up-set it, and harrowing.
† 2. a. Sc. To make good, make up for; to get over, recover from (a loss, etc.). Obs.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, Direct. 33. God grant I may amend it, With grace and space to vpset this tynsell.
1557. Extr. Aberd. Reg. (1844), I. 305. Gif ony dampnage cumis thairthrow,… that the said Gilbert be … obleist to vpsett the same.
1593. Sc. Acts, Jas. VI. (1816), IV. 26/2. Þe said morowing gift, sa faithfullie … promesit to be vpsett and maid guid.
1606. Rollock, Lect. 2 Thess., 53. The lose thou getst by deceite wil neuer be vpset.
1806. A. Douglas, Poems, 123. Folk as stout an’ clever … Hae gotten skaith they never Upset for mony year.
b. To restore to good or usual condition. Obs. exc. dial.
a. 1652. Brome, City Wit, III. i. (1653), C 8. When she failes by diseases or paine, The Doctor new Vamps and upsets her againe.
1905. in Eng. Dial. Dict., s.v., Cor[nwall]. Two men went up the hill upsetting [= reviving] the fire.
3. intr. Of a cylindrical bullet: To become bent.
1859. ‘Stonehenge,’ Shot-Gun, 306. A pointed cylinder soon ‘upsets,’ as it is termed, and is then at once rendered useless as a projectile. [Cf. UPSETTING vbl. sb. 1 e.]
II. 4. intr. To be overturned or capsized.
Said of a vehicle, boat, etc., or of persons in it.
1799. T. Knight, Turnpike-gate, II. iii. If the horses had not run so fast we should not have upset.
1820. Moore, Mem. (1853), III. 116. If there came the slightest breath of wind, they would upset with so many on board.
1889. Jerome, Three Men in Boat, iii. The boat … will not be so liable to upset.
5. trans. To overturn; to capsize; to knock over.
In this or the next sense called ‘a low word’ by Todd (1818).
1803. Rees, Cycl., Capsize, in Naval Language, to upset or turn over anything.
1808. Jamieson, s.v., To upset a cart, boat, &c.
1813. Southey, Nelson, I. 15. It was with the utmost difficulty that the crew could prevent them from staving or upsetting her.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., vii. 45. One luckless wight contrived to upset the gravy.
1871. Jowett, Plato, II. 43. The light active boxer upsetting two stout gentlemen.
fig. 1883. Pall Mall G., 26 Oct. If the Control had done more it might have upset the apple-cart altogether.
b. To involve (persons) in the accidental overturning of a vehicle or boat. Chiefly in passive.
1807. Southey, Espriella’s Lett., II. 192. Had we been … overtaken by storms and upset in the lake.
1819. Moore, Mem. (1853), II. 345. Very nearly upset by the horse backing down the hill.
1832. A. W. Fonblanque, Eng. under 7 Administr. (1837), II. 206. ‘He then built him another [vessel],… which he succeeded in setting afloat.’… ‘Aye, and it nearly upset him … at sea.’
1867. P’cess Alice, Mem. (1884), 176. Mme. d’Usedom … was lately upset with her carriage off the road.
c. fig. To overthrow, undo, put out of joint.
1818. Moore, Mem. (1853), II. 221. Very natural, but very likely to upset the whole concern.
1859. W. Collins, Q. of Hearts, iii She … upset every one of our calculations on the first day of her arrival.
1884. Sir H. Cotton, in Law Times Rep., LI. 277/1. A witness who is coming … to assist the plaintiff in upsetting … a fraudulent scheme.
6. a. To throw into mental disorder or discomposure; to trouble or distress.
1805. Blackwood, in Nicolas, Nelson’s Disp. (1846), VII. 224. I never was so shocked or so completely upset as … to find that Lord Nelson was even then at the gasp of Death.
1857. Trollope, Barchester T., III. 116. Eleanor … was a good deal upset, as people say, and could not at the moment collect herself.
1885. Law Times, 7 Feb., 270/2. Deceased appeared very irritable upon the morning in question, but witness knew of nothing to upset him.
b. To disorder physically.
1845. Budd, Dis. Liver, 261. A young person, delicate, and easily upset by any imprudence in diet.
1889. Mrs. E. Kennard, Landing a Prize, x. The least thing upset his liver.
Hence Upsetment; Upsettable a.; Upsettal.
1893. Standard, 10 March. For this *upsetment too, nothing would be gained. [Cf. w. Somerset (1888), upsotment, ‘disturbance, break up.’]
1890. Sat. Rev., 4 Oct., 386/1. Persons *upsettable … at their own peril.
1890. Graphic, 11 Oct., 406/1. Never a little finger did I put to help in his *upsettal.
