upper story

Idioms and Phrases

The head or brain, as in He's not all there in the upper story . This expression transfers the literal sense of a higher floor in a multistory building to the top portion of the human body. Richard Bentley used it in A Dissertation on the Epistles of Phalaris (1699), where he compares a man with “brains ... in his head” to a man who has “furniture in his upper story.”

Example Sentences

Standing outside the city hospital, Karim El Baridi said his uncle was being treated for broken ribs after leaping out of an upper story for fear his building would collapse.

From Reuters

You might even consider moving valuables from the ground floor to an upper story of your home.

From Los Angeles Times

Shortly after midnight, a motorcyclist passing by noticed smoke coming from an upper story and alerted guards.

From Washington Times

Shortly after midnight, a motorcyclist passing by noticed smoke coming from an upper story and alerted guards.

From Seattle Times

After the dam breach, the family piled into a boat to get to safety in the upper story of a neighbor’s three-story home.

From New York Times

Related Words

• head
• intellect
• mind