look up

British  

verb

1. (tr) to discover (something required to be known) by resorting to a work of reference, such as a dictionary

2. (intr) to increase, as in quality or value

   things are looking up

3. to have respect (for)

   I've always wanted a girlfriend I could look up to

4. (tr) to visit or make contact with (a person)

   I'll look you up when I'm in town

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look up Idioms  

1. Search for in a book or other source, as in I told her to look up the word in the dictionary . [Late 1600s]

2. Call on or visit, as in I'm going to look up my friend in Chicago . [Mid-1800s]

3. Become better, improve, as in Business is finally looking up . [c. 1800]

4. look up to . Admire, respect, as in The students really looked up to Mr. Jones . [Early 1700s]

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Example Sentences

It tips its head back to look up at him as he says to it softly: "Now we can recognise you anywhere - yes, yes you."

From BBC

So we looked up the phone number, called the fraternity house and asked for him.

From The Wall Street Journal

I also started looking up the starlets of the time and what their waist sizes were.

From Los Angeles Times

No. I remember being in Vegas and looking up at the billboards: Man, oh, man — how do you get your name up there?

From Los Angeles Times

She then looked up the book online and noticed Johnson’s endorsement.

From Salon