Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

u p|ward|ly mo |bile ADJ If you describe someone as upwardly mobile , you mean that they are moving, have moved, or are trying to move to a higher social position. □  The Party has been unable to attract upwardly mobile voters. ● N‑PLURAL The upwardly mobile are people who are upwardly mobile. □  …the large detached houses of the upwardly mobile.

up|wards /ʌ pwə ^r dz/ also upward

1 ADV [ADV after v, n ADV ] If someone moves or looks upwards , they move or look up towards a higher place. □  'There,' said Jack, pointing upwards. □  They climbed upward along the steep cliffs surrounding the village. □  Hunter nodded again and gazed upwards in fear. □  Lie face upwards with a cushion under your head.

2 ADV [ADV after v] If an amount or rate moves upwards , it increases. □  …with prices soon heading upwards in high street stores. □  Unemployment will continue upward for much of this year. □  The share price is likely to leap upwards.

3 PHRASE A quantity that is upwards of a particular number is more than that number. □ [+ of ] …projects worth upwards of 200 million pounds. □ [+ of ] It costs upward of $40,000 a year to keep some prisoners in prison.

up|wind /ʌ pw I nd/ ADV [ADV after v, be ADV ] If something moves upwind , it moves in the opposite direction to the wind. If something is upwind , the wind is blowing away from it. □  …riding a bike upwind. □ [+ of ] The rich went to live in the west of London, upwind of the smell of people and industry. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Upwind is also an adjective. □  …big trees at the forest's upwind edge.

ura|nium /jʊre I niəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive metal that is used to produce nuclear energy and weapons.

ur|ban ◆◇◇ /ɜː ^r bən/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Urban means belonging to, or relating to, a town or city. □  Most of the population is an urban population. □  Most urban areas are close to a park. □  …urban planning. SYNONYMS urban ADJ

civic:…the businessmen and civic leaders of Manchester.

metropolitan:…the metropolitan district of Miami.

municipal:…the municipal library.

ur|bane /ɜː ^r be I n/ ADJ Someone who is urbane is polite and appears comfortable in social situations. □  She describes him as urbane and charming. □  In conversation, he was suave and urbane. ●  ur|ban|ity /ɜː ^r bæ n I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] Fearey had all the charm and urbanity of the trained diplomat.

ur|bani|za|tion /ɜː ^r bəna I ze I ʃ ^ə n/ in BRIT, also use urbanisation N‑UNCOUNT Urbanization is the process of creating towns in country areas.

ur|ban|ized /ɜː ^r bəna I zd/ in BRIT, also use urbanised 1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] An urbanized country or area has many buildings and a lot of industry and business. □  Britain is still far from being the most urbanised landmass in Europe. □  All the nice areas in Florida are becoming more and more urbanized.

2 ADJ An urbanized population consists of people who live and work in a town.

u r|ban my th (urban myths ) or urban legend N‑COUNT An urban myth is a strange or surprising story which many people believe, but which is not actually true.

ur|chin /ɜː ^r tʃ I n/ (urchins )

1 N‑COUNT An urchin is a young child who is dirty and poorly dressed. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □  We were in the bazaar with all the little urchins watching us.

2 → see also sea urchin

Urdu /ʊə ^r duː, ɜː ^r -/ N‑UNCOUNT Urdu is an official language of Pakistan. Urdu is also spoken in India.

urge ◆◆◇ /ɜː ^r dʒ/ (urges , urging , urged )