# up sticks

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˌʌp ˈstɪks/

## Definitions
1. To put up the mast of a ship in preparation for sailing.
2. To prepare to move; to pack up; to go and live in a different place.

## Etymology
up + sticks, plural of stick (“a mast or part of a mast of a ship; a yard”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/up-sticks