keep one's end up
A British colloquial phrase meaning to do one's fair share, hold up one's side of a bargain, or maintain one's position under pressure.
Definitions
A British colloquial phrase meaning to do one's fair share, hold up one's side of a bargain, or maintain one's position under pressure. The metaphor likely derives from holding up one end of something being carried jointly. It implies fulfilling a responsibility without letting the team down, and often appears in the context of maintaining dignity or performance under difficult circumstances.
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(UK, colloquial) do one's part.
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
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- keep one's pecker up62%
(chiefly, British, idiomatic) To remain cheerful; keep smiling.
- get one's end away61%
British slang meaning to have sex, especially framed from a male perspective as successfully achieving one's goal of getting laid. The phrase has a jaunty, somewhat dated quality — more pub banter circa 1970s than modern social media — but it remains widely understood across the UK. The 'end' is a euphemism rooted in innuendo, and 'away' implies a triumphant departure or completion. Occasionally still deployed for comedic effect or nostalgic irony.
- keep one's eye in59%
A chiefly British idiom meaning to maintain one's skill or sharpness through continued practice. Originally from cricket and other target-oriented sports, where keeping your eye in means staying calibrated through regular play. Now used more broadly for any skill that requires regular upkeep to avoid going rusty.
- get one's end away58%
(slang, dated) To have sex.