bang-up

[ bang-uhp ]

adjective

, Informal.

1. excellent; extraordinary.

bang up

verb

1. slang:prison.
   tr, adverb to lock up (a prisoner) in his or her cell, esp for the night

Word History and Origins

Origin of bang-up¹

First recorded in 1800–10; adj. use of verb phrase bang up

Idioms and Phrases

Damage, injure, as in Banging up the car a second time will make Dad very unhappy , or Mother fell down the stairs and was all banged up . The verb to bang alone had this meaning from the 1500s on, up being added in the late 1800s. In the early 1800s it gave rise to the colloquial adjective bang-up , for excellent or very successful, as in David did a bang-up job baking the birthday cake .

Example Sentences

SB Nation and their Swish Appeal site do a pretty bang-up job, as well.

From The Daily Beast

Yes, if only he had gone to Harvard or Yale like our last four presidents, who have done such a bang-up job running the country.

From The Daily Beast

After all, the House GOP did a bang-up job of controlling spending when they had unified control of Washington, just a decade ago.

From The Daily Beast

But of course no visit to Hollywood would be complete without a bang-up, star-studded gala.

From The Daily Beast

Miss Boutts replied that they were too busy in the daytime, but were asked once a week to a "bang-up" affair.

From Project Gutenberg

One day Doctor Kirby and me was walking along the main street of a little town and we seen a bang-up funeral percession coming.

From Project Gutenberg

Now, up in Kansas City we goes to a sumptious layout, pays less an' gets bang-up stuff.

From Project Gutenberg

As in England, we will be bang up against an industrial awakening that will mark an epoch.

From Project Gutenberg

Editor DeWitt took it for granted she would bring in a bang-up story when she returned to the newspaper office.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• excellent
• exceptional
• high-quality
• marvelous
• outstanding
• superb