Dictionary

live up en · VERB

Meanings

1. (idiomatic, intransitive, with-to) To fulfil the expectations placed upon one.
   • The holidays didn't live up to the advertiser's claims.
   • She never lived up to her reputation.
   • Seeing A-listers in the aisles makes Frieze seem sexier than most fairs, placing added pressure on galleries to live up to the sponsorship provided by high-end fashion brands and luxury goods. 2023 October 7, Gregor Muir, “Frieze turns 20”, in FT Weekend (Collecting section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 2:
   • Ursula von der Leyen, who heads the executive arm of the 27-nation European Union, said: “This is Europe’s moment and we must live up to it.” 2025 March 4, Marc Santora, quoting Ursula von der Leyen, “Ukraine Races to Salvage U.S. Alliance After Trump Halts Aid”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 04 Mar 2025:
2. (idiomatic, obsolete) To spend money on one's lifestyle to the exact limit of a specific budget or revenue, leaving nothing for savings.
   • 'But it is not to be imagined that she lives up to her income. Few people of common prudence will do that; and whatever she saves, she will be able to dispose of.' 1811, [Jane Austen], chapter XI, in Sense and Sensibility […], volume II, London: […] C[harles] Roworth, […], and published by T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC:

Forms

Relateds

live it up · measure up · make good on

Translations (25)

ru оправда́ть (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · fi täyttää odotukset (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · az doğrultmaq (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · es estar a la altura (de) (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · fi olla veroinen (jonkin) (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · de halten (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · cs naplnit (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · sv göra skäl för (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · it soddisfare le aspettative (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · es vivir según (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · fa برآورده کردن (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · ar كان في مستوى (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · es hacer honor (a) (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · ru опра́вдывать (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · de gerecht werden (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · es dar la talla (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · sv leva upp till (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · fr être à la hauteur (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · ar ارتقى إلى (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · cs dostát (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · nl waarmaken (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · cs odpovídat (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · lv attaisnot cerības (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · pl spełnić oczekiwania (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one) · cs splnit (to fulfil the expectations placed upon one)