Oxford Business English Dictionary for Learners of English

upstart /'Apstart; AmE-sta:rt/ noun [C] a company or person that is new in a business, but may already be becoming important: The company was bought by its upstart rival. -> start-up

upstream /.Ap'stri:m/ adjective (Economics; Production) at or connected with an early stage in an industrial or commercial process: The company plans to expand its upstream business in oil and gas.

upstream assets/businesses/earnings/operations

up stream adverb: Manufacturers are looking both upstream and downstream to improve efficiency. IoppI downstream

upsurge /'Aps3:d3; AmE-S3:rd3/ noun [c, usually sing.]

a sudden large increase in sth: a big upsurge in demand for new cars surge

upswing /"'Apswir)/ = UPTURN [OPP] DOWNSWING

uptick j 4ptik/ (also plus tick, less frequent) noun [c, usually sing.] (both AmE) (Economics; Finance) a small increase in sth, especially in the price of shares: The futures market is showing an uptick. о an uptick in manufacturing activity IoppI downtick

uptime /'Aptaim/ noun [u] (IT) the period of time when a machine, especially a computer, is working and can be used: We aim to achieve at least 99-96% uptime. -» downtime

up to 'date adjective

having or including the most recent information: Monthly meetings keep staff up to date on/with the latest developments, о up-to-date records

О up-to-date figures/information/price lists/records 2 modern; fashionable: This technology is bang up to date (= completely modern).

up-to-date equipment/methods/technology

up to the 'minute adjective [usually before noun]

having or including the most recent information: The accounts must always be up to the minute.

О up-to-the-minute data/information/news/prices

modern; fashionable: up-to-the-minute designs

uptrend /Uptrendj noun [sing.] (especially AmE) a situation in which business activity or performance increases or improves over a period of time: The euro is on an uptrend. IoppI downtrend

upturn /'Apt3:n; AmE-t3:rn/ (also 'upswing) noun [c, usually sing.]

a situation in which sth improves or increases over a period of time: an upturn in trade о The group's recent sales upturn may not last. IoppI downturn О a dramatic/gradual/sharp/slight/sustained upturn

, u p wa rd I у' m о b i I e adjective moving towards a higher social position, usually in which you become richer: Their customers are mainly upwardly mobile people in their thirties and forties, ►.upward mo'bility noun [u]

URL /.ju: a:r'el/ abbr (IT) uniform/universal resource locator the

address of a web page: The UFl is http:// www.oup.com. [WnJweb address

usability /,ju:z8'bilati/ noun [u] (Marketing) how easy sth is to use, especially a website: She's a usability consultant at a London- based web company, о This computer combines portability and usability in a sleek design.

usance /'ju:zans/ noun [U; C, usually sing ] (Finance) the time that is allowed for the payment of foreign bills of exchange

USB /.ju: es 'bi:/ abbr (IT) universal serial bus a device in a computer that allows other devices such as printers and scanners to be connected to it: The PC comes with two USB ports (= places where printers and other devices can be connected to the computer).