paste-ups

Meanings

1. 1nounpluraltechnicalspecialist

   Sheets of paper on which pieces of text and images are stuck down to make a layout for printing.

   Grammar: Plural noun; the singular is 'paste-up'. Use a plural verb: 'The paste-ups were ready.'

   Patterns

   • make a paste-up
   • a paste-up of something
   • the paste-ups are ready

   The designer finished the paste-ups before sending them to the printer.

   In the 1980s, magazines were assembled from paste-ups on large boards.

   She checked the paste-ups carefully for any spelling mistakes.

2. 2nounpluralinformal

   Quick, simple jobs of sticking things onto a wall or surface, often done in a hurry.

   Grammar: Plural noun; singular 'paste-up'. Often used in the phrase 'do a paste-up'.

   Patterns

   • do a paste-up
   • a quick paste-up

   We did a quick paste-up of the posters on the classroom wall.

   The children made paste-ups of their drawings for the school show.

Word forms

Common combinations

make a paste-up

He made a paste-up of the advertisement by hand.

a paste-up of something

She showed me a paste-up of the new brochure.

the paste-ups are ready

The paste-ups are ready for the printer.

do a paste-up

We did a paste-up of the photos for the noticeboard.

Synonyms and how they differ

layout

A layout is the arrangement itself; a paste-up is the physical sheet showing that arrangement.

collage

A collage is an artistic work made by sticking things down; a paste-up is usually for printing or display.

Word family

paste up phrasal verb

To stick pieces of paper onto a surface.

Commonly confused: paste-ups or paste-up?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “paste-ups”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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