Meaning & use

turn-up

noun·Advanced

An unexpected event or surprising outcome, especially one considered fortunate or remarkable.

See it in a sentence

Winning the lottery twice in one year was quite a turn-up for the family.

Nobody expected the underdog to win; it was a real turn-up for the books.

A note on using this word

This sense is chiefly British informal usage, often in the fixed phrase 'a turn-up for the books.'

Words with a similar meaning

surpriseshock

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

The folded cuff at the bottom of a trouser leg.

He rolled up the turn-ups on his new trousers before wading into the stream.

Make it your own

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