Meaning & use
stub up
Last updated
UK/ˌstʌb ˈʌp/
US/ˌstʌb ˈʌp/
Meaning
phrasetransitiverare
To clear land by digging out the stumps of cut trees.
Grammar: Takes an object: 'stub up a field'. The object can come between the verb and 'up': 'stub a field up'.
Patterns
- stub up land
- stub up a field
- stub something up
The workers stubbed up the old orchard before planting new trees.
It took weeks to stub up the cleared forest.
Word forms
| third person singular | stubs up |
|---|---|
| past tense | stubbed up |
| past participle | stubbed up |
| -ing form | stubbing up |
Common combinations
- stub up a field
- They stubbed up the field to prepare for crops.
- stub up land
- The farmer stubbed up the land after cutting the trees.
- stub up an area
- We need to stub up this area before building.
Synonyms and how they differ
- clear
- More general; 'clear' can mean removing any obstacles, while 'stub up' specifically means removing tree stumps.
- grub up
- Similar meaning, also rare; 'grub up' can also mean to dig up roots or search for something.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: stub up or stub out?
stub up vs stub out
Means to extinguish a cigarette by pressing the end; 'stub up' is about clearing land.
Practice
What does 'stub up' mean in the sentence: 'They stubbed up the land before planting.'?
Choose one answer.
'Stub up' means to dig out stumps to clear land for use. The other options are not supported by the meaning of the phrasal verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stub up”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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