boss up

verb

To strive to reach one's goals through effort and determination; to start working hard.

“When life gets you down, boss up and take control.”

OriginDutch pas op →
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Meanings

boss up1

verbboss up (third-person singular simple present bosses up, present participle bossing up, simple past and past participle bossed up)

present singular third person bosses up · participle present bossing up · participle past bossed up · past bossed up

  1. intransitiveslangTo strive to reach one's goals through effort and determination; to start working hard.

    When life gets you down, boss up and take control.

  2. businessTo modify a corner in sheet lead to avoid leaving a hole in the angle.
  3. datedtransitiveTo manage a household and its servants.

boss up2

interjection
  1. South AfricaobsoleteTake care; look out.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
man upperson up

Origin

boss up · verb

From various senses of boss; first sense possibly devised as a gender-neutral form of man up.

Full word history & related roots →

boss up · interjection

  1. Dutchpas op
  2. Englishboss up

From Dutch pas op from Afrikaans.

More words from Dutch

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

boss up. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/boss%20up

MLA

“boss up.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/boss%20up. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “boss up,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/boss%20up.

Source: boss up on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.