5 April 2004
alas, the internet has failed me
I may just be giving up too soon, but I cannot seem to find to find the origin of the phrase "on the up and up" anywhere on the known web (by which I mean several Google searches came up with nothing). Anybody have some obscure knowledge I don't? I need no definitions, just origins.
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As far as usage, in the US it means something different than in Great Britain. In the US it means "legit", whereas in GB it means "on the increase." In addition, it apparently means "improving" in Australia.
Discussion:
http://www.languagehat.com/archives/000975.php
I can't find anything about the phrase origin either, but it is listed in OED. However, I don't have access.
I checked uselessknowledge.com to see if they had anything, but they don't (I seem to remember them having a word origins page, but I can't find it since the merger with Cool Quiz). If you've never been there, they've got some very interesting stuff.