upstreamadv.n.adj.
/ˌʌpˈstriːm/, U.S. /ˌəpˈstrim/ A. adv. (and n.)
1.
a. In a direction contrary to the flow of a stream; higher up or along a stream.Common from c1890. Generally stressed up-ˈstream, except when contrasted with down-stream. In later use also const. of or from (a place).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > system > [adverb] > up-river
up847
abovec1330
upstream1681
up-river1848
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > current > [adverb] > against
against, with the stream1555
down, up the stream1560
upstream1681
1681 W. Robertson Phraseologia Generalis 1282 To go up stream, adverso flumine navigare.
1839 H. W. Longfellow Hyperion I. i. viii. 91 The rising tide bears against the rushing torrent up stream, and pushes back the hurrying waters.
1850 G. Cupples Green Hand vii. 85/1 The sound of a loud rush of water up-stream broke upon us.
1889 J. K. Jerome Three Men in Boat ix. 142 Three or four miles up stream is a trifle, early in the morning.
b. quasi-n. A position or place further up a stream.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > system > [noun] > head or source > place which is upstream
upstream1891
1891 Nature 18 June 152/2 From upstream of it are derived three main trunk canals.
1915 I. H. Evans in Man XV. 25 A spot some two miles to the up-stream of the Tamu ground.
2. In the oil and gas industries: at or towards the source of production; spec. at a stage in the process of extraction and production before the raw material is ready to be refined.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > drilling for oil or gas > [adverb] > towards source of production
upstream1973
1973 Auckland Star 10 Feb. 18 The most natural way the oil producers can spend their vast wealth..is in developing the industry itself. Huge investment is needed ‘upstream’.
1983 Business Week 21 Feb. 61/1 KPC has not neglected foreign activities upstream. It wants to expand exploration in the U.S.
B. adj. (ˈupstream.)
1. Situated farther or higher up a stream.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > system > [adjective] > situated up-river
up-river1774
upstream1838
1838 Civil Engineer & Architect's Jrnl. 1 150/1 The up-stream angles of the dam.
1843 Civil Engineer & Architect's Jrnl. 6 88/1 [A] deposit accumulated largely on the up-stream side.
1875 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. II. 1084/2 The up-stream end of a canal-lock.
2. Directed, taking place, upstream.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > rivers and streams > system > [adjective] > directed up-river
upward1731
upstream1826
up-river1836
1826 J. F. Cooper Last of Mohicans I. iii. 34 They call this up-stream current the tide.
1889 Hardwicke's Sci.-gossip 25 209/2 There is an up-stream migration of elvers in the spring.
1894 Field 9 June 832/1 Many experienced anglers do not like an up~stream wind for..dun hatchings.
3. U.S. Difficult, troublesome. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > [adjective]
arvethc885
uneathOE
arvethlichc1000
evilc1175
hardc1175
deara1225
derfa1225
illc1330
wickeda1375
uneasy1398
difficul?a1450
difficile?1473
difficulta1527
unready1535
craggy1582
spiny1604
tough1619
uphill1622
shrewda1626
spinousa1638
scabrous1646
spinose1660
rugged1663
cranka1745
tight1764
thraward1818
nasty1828
upstream1847
awkward1860
pricklyc1862
bristling1871
sticky1871
rocky1873
dodgy1898
challengeful1927
solid1943
ball-busting1944
challenging1975
1847 J. Brown in Boston Public Library Bulletin May (1900) 177 I do not wish any upstream measure taken to supply funds.
4. Relating to the stages in the production of oil and gas before the raw material is ready for refining.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > drilling for oil or gas > [adjective] > stage in production
upstream1965
1965 H. R. Williams & C. J. Meyers Oil & Gas Terms (ed. 2) 429 Gathering activities are..ended when gas reaches a central point... Facilities used before this point of demarcation are upstream facilities.
1981 Times 3 Apr. 17/1 Upstream activities..are overshadowed by the comfortable world supply position while downstream, weak demand is making it more difficult to recoup rising operating costs.
Draft additions 1993
Biology. In the direction opposite to that in which transcription occurs. Opposed to downstream adv. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > laboratory analysis > processes > [adverb] > genetic techniques
transcriptionally1911
upstream1977
1977 D. F. Klessig in Cell 12 9 (heading) Two adenovirus mRNAs have a common 5′ terminal leader sequence encoded at least 10 kb upstream from their main coding regions.
1979 Cell 18 569 The DNA sequence upstream from the cap, the region of the potential promoter site does not..contain a ‘TATAAA’-type homology.
1988 Mouse News Let. Nov. 97 A gene which shows tissue-specific regulation..has some specific sites of methylation correlated with expression more than 12 kb upstream to the first exon.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adv.n.adj.1681