chuck up

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To vomit; throw up.

Register: slang

Examples

She got ridiculously drunk last night and chucked up in the back of the minicab on the way home.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To chuck up the sponge; to give up; to admit defeat; to break a contract; to abandon or quit (something).

Register: dated

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To be released from prison.

Register: archaic, slang

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

to surrender, give in—from the custom of throwing up the sponge at a prize-fight in token of yielding. This is very often corrupted into "jack up."

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “chuck up” mean?

To vomit; throw up.

Is “chuck up” formal or informal?

chuck up is generally slang.