up the river
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English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]A reference to Sing Sing prison, which is located on the Hudson river, to the north of (and upstream from) New York City.
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Prepositional phrase
[edit]- (US, idiomatic) To prison.
- 1990 July 21, “Pete Rose: He doesn't belong in the Hall of Fame”, in Dallas Morning News, retrieved 23 September 2010:
- The former baseball player that Cincinnati idolized is being sent up the river to Ashland, Ky., to serve a prison term for cheating on his taxes.
Usage notes
[edit]- Often preceded by the verb to send.