chalk it up

Meanings

1. 1phrasephrasal verbinformal

   To explain a mistake, failure or odd event by blaming it on a particular cause.

   Grammar: Usually followed by to: chalk it up to bad luck.

   Patterns

   • chalk something up to something

   I'll just chalk it up to bad luck and try again.

   She chalked the delay up to heavy traffic.

   You can chalk his rudeness up to a long, tiring day.

2. 2phrasephrasal verbinformal

   To count a success or point as achieved, especially in a game or contest.

   Grammar: Takes an object: chalk up a win.

   Patterns

   • chalk up something

   The team chalked up its fifth win in a row.

   He chalked up another victory in the debate.

   We can chalk that one up as a success.

3. 3phrasefixed phraseinformal

   To treat a bad experience as a lesson and move on.

   Grammar: Often with experience: chalk it up to experience.

   Patterns

   • chalk it up to experience

   The project failed, but we chalked it up to experience.

   Lost your wallet? Chalk it up to experience and be more careful.

   She chalked up the mistake to experience and applied again.

Word forms

Common combinations

chalk it up to experience

Chalk it up to experience and try again.

chalk it up to bad luck

He chalked it up to bad luck.

chalk up a win

The club chalked up a surprise win.

chalk it up as

Let's chalk it up as a lesson learned.

chalk it down to

Some British speakers chalk it down to nerves.

Synonyms and how they differ

put down to

Put down to is the more common British phrase and works the same way for explaining a cause.

attribute to

Attribute to is formal and neutral, while chalk it up to sounds casual and often resigned.

blame on

Blame on suggests fault, while chalk it up to can accept a cause without anger.

score

Score fits only the winning sense, not the idea of explaining a problem.

Word family

chalk noun

a soft white stone used for writing

chalk up phrasal verb

to record or achieve

chalky adjective

like chalk, pale or powdery

chalkboard noun

a surface for writing with chalk

Commonly confused: chalk it up or chalk up/chuck up?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “chalk it up”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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