What it means
If you're clued up, you know what's what. You've actually got the info, you've paid attention, and you're not just chatting breeze and hoping nobody clocks it. It usually lands as praise, sometimes with a tiny bit of surprise, like alright then, someone came prepared.
Usage examples
"Ask Priya about the tax return, she’s proper clued up. I had a go and ended up panicking over a Tesco meal deal at lunch."
"Ask Priya about the visa rules, she is really clued up on all that."
"Read the manual first so you are clued up before you start."
"Don’t ask me about tenancy stuff, ask Yasmin, she’s well clued up and won’t let the landlord try it on."
"I turned up blagging it, then Liam started talking numbers and contracts and yeah, fair enough, he was properly clued up."
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Where it comes from
This is solid British English. It comes from clue with clued meaning informed or tipped off, then up added in that very English way to give it extra lift. It’s been around since the 20th century and still gets used for someone who knows the facts and isn’t winging it.
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