What it means
A brisk, slightly horsey way to tell someone to get moving or put a bit more oomph into what they're doing. You use it when someone's dragging their heels, taking ages, or putting in a floppy little effort. It can sound bossy if you bark it, but half the time it's just a playful prod.
Usage examples
"Gee up, mate, the train’s in and you’re still dossing about with your bag. Move it or we’re stuck freezing on the platform again."
"Gee up, we'll miss the train if you keep dawdling."
"The coach geed the team up before the second half."
"Gee up, you're still on the first question and everyone's already on the next page."
"Gee up a bit, mate, you can't call that carrying boxes when you're basically cuddling them."
Where it comes from
It comes from old horse-driving language in Britain, where gee up was called out to make a horse move faster or liven up. From there it slid into everyday speech as a cheeky nudge for people too, especially when someone's being slow, sluggish, or a bit half-hearted.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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