hey up

interjection

A greeting.

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Meanings

interjection

alternative ay oop · alternative ay up · alternative ayup · alternative 'ey up · alternative ey up

  1. Northern EnglandinformalA greeting.
  2. Used to get attention, or as a warning.

Origin

From high up as a warning. Written heigh up by Joseph Wright in The English Dialect Dictionary. Always pronounced with the diphthong /ɛɪ/ as was formerly used in high in these dialects. Never pronounced /eː/ as used in hay.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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