size (up) v.
(orig. US)1. to estimate, to assess, to get to know about; thus sizing n., sizing up n.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Big Bear of Arkansas (1847) 94: I thot I’d size her pile. | |
 | Punch, Brothers, Punch! 73: Somehow, it seemed to size the country [DA]. | |
| letter in Byrkit Letters from the Southwest (1989) 5 Jan. 227: I sized the man up for about the meanest, windiest snide in the country. | |
| Forty Years a Gambler 32: I then thought if I can get some more of that ‘go-your-money’ whisky into him, I can size him up. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Bulletin (Sydney) 6 Sept. 15/4: The inspector [...] ‘sized’ these two men, then formed them into line, and opened the ranks for inspection. | |
| Fables in Sl. (1902) 40: After she had sized up the front room through the Lorgnette, she would say: ‘My Good Woman, does your Husband drink?’. | |
| Tramping with Tramps 128: When she appears he ‘sizes her up’ as best he can. | |
| Sister Carrie 119: He began to ‘size up’ Drouet from the standpoint of wit and fascination. | |
| Hands Up! 323: He sized both officers, and then suddenly threw himself upon them. | |
| Bowery Life [ebook] De old bloke pulled out er pair uv gig-lamps an’ put ’em on, an’ den he give me er grate sizin’ up. | |
| You Can Search Me 13: I’ve got you sized. | |
| Shorty McCabe 52: The brigandess, sizing us up for a couple of pikers, reckoned that we wouldn’t pan out much cash. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Marvel 17 Nov. 465: I’ll just drop in and size him up. | |
| Types From City Streets 324: He tells good stories, and the grafters like the way he ‘sizes up’ life. | |
| ‘The New Fable of The Toilsome Ascent’ in Ade’s Fables 185: Even his trusty Henchmen were frightened [...] They did not have him sized, that was all. | |
| Rainbow Trail (1961) 72: He certainly sized me up. | |
| Hand-made Fables 89: He sized the other Notables close at hand. | |
| Bulldog Drummond 11: I guess you’ve got us sized up to the last button. | |
| Chicago May (1929) 48: I lived there several weeks, sizing up the situation. | |
| Prison Nurse (1964) 29: I’m sorta sizin’ her up for myself. | |
| ‘Social Error’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 460: Dave the Dude sizes them up for a minute. | |
| We Were the Rats 76: He was sizing me up. | |
| Fabulous Clipjoint (1949) 32: I used to run a mitt-camp with the carney [...] You get so you can size people up. | |
| Man with the Golden Arm 155: ‘That about sizes it up,’ Sparrow thought discreetly. | |
| Fowlers End (2001) 62: Generally, I can size a bloke up. But I ’aven’t got the size of you yet. | |
| Playback 138: I can size up a man. | |
| Chips with Everything I vi: You know, I’ve been looking at this hut, sizing it up. Make a good warehouse. | |
| Family Arsenal 254: McGravy sized him up, as if trying to decide whether the taunting question deserved a serious reply. | |
| Brown’s Requiem 69: His eyes turned shrewd, and as he sized me up he grabbed the door jambs. | |
| Close Pursuit (1988) 114: Jimmy paid no attention to these considerations. He had learned to leave the ‘sizing’ to Krush. | |
| Street Talk 2 100: After sizing up the situation, I don’t think we should proceed. | |
| Guardian Rev. 12 June 8: She sizes them up on the cellulite-scale. | |
| Indep. Rev. 11 May 7: There was this geezer with a camera sizing the place up. | |
| Dly Press (Newport News, VA) 15 July G10/3: He sized up the first cotton fields. | |
| News Jrnl (Wilmington DE) 4 Oct. D3/3: ‘Wow, that’s impressive,’ said fellow contestant [...] as he sized up the competition. |
2. to amount to.
| Baled Hay 126: Time, at last, makes all things size up in proper shape. | |
| Ivory Tower 91: The question of what Gray’s ‘interest’ [...] might size up to. | |
| White Moll 86i: ‘What’s the haul size up at?’ he demanded. ‘Anything in the safe besides the shiners?’. |
3. to appear, to seem to be.
| ‘Madame La Gimp’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 244: The guy sizes up as a right good thing. |