turn-ups

Meanings

1. 1nounusually pluralBritish

   The folded-up bottom edges of trouser legs, stitched or pressed into place.

   Grammar: Usually plural: trousers with turn-ups.

   Patterns

   • trousers with turn-ups
   • turn-ups on something

   He wore wool trousers with deep turn-ups.

   The rain left the turn-ups of my jeans soaked.

   A tailor can add turn-ups to those trousers.

2. 2nouncountableinformalBritish

   Unexpected events or surprising results, especially pleasant ones.

   Grammar: Usually in the phrase 'a turn-up for the books'; the plural is rare.

   Patterns

   • a turn-up for the books

   Winning the cup was a real turn-up for the books.

   There were a few turn-ups in the election results.

   Her calling me after ten years was a turn-up for the books.

Word forms

Common combinations

trousers with turn-ups

I prefer trousers with turn-ups for a smarter look.

roll up the turn-ups

He rolled up the turn-ups to paddle in the sea.

a turn-up for the books

His promotion was a turn-up for the books.

dust in the turn-ups

There was sand in his turn-ups after the beach.

deep turn-ups

Deep turn-ups were fashionable in the 1950s.

Synonyms and how they differ

cuffs

Cuffs is the American word for turn-ups, and in Britain it usually means the ends of sleeves.

hems

A hem is the sewn edge of any piece of clothing and need not be folded up.

surprises

Surprises is wider and does not carry the British flavor of 'turn-up for the books'.

upsets

An upset is mainly an unexpected sports result, whereas a turn-up can be any pleasant surprise.

Word family

turn up verb

to arrive or appear

turn-up noun

one folded trouser hem or one surprise

turn verb

to move around or change direction

turned-up adjective

bent upward, as in a turned-up nose

Commonly confused: turn-ups or turn up?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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