Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also get one up, get up) to achieve an erection; occas. in fig. use of a woman; early cits. are double entendres, with cit. 1741 punning on frigate n. (1).

[c.1660		‘A Man and a Young Maid’ in Furnivall & Hales Bishop Percy’s Folio Manuscript of Loose and Humorous Songs (1868) 51–2: He light in a hole ere he was aware! [...] But shee fell a-kissing, hye! / & he lay drooping, hoe, and he lay drooping, hoe. / ‘My Billy, my pilly! how now?’ quoth she; / ‘gett vp againe, Billy, if that thou louest me;’ [...] He thought Mickle shame to lye soe longe; / he gott vp againe & grew very strong].
[1741		‘Capt. Samuel Cock’ A Voyage to Lethe 30: The Dukes of B.....d and M.....b have very gallant frigates, and to do them justice, they use their utmost efforts to get them up, though they fall short].
c.1935		‘William Powell and Myrna Loy in “Nuts to Will Hays”’ [comic strip] in B. Adelman Tijuana Bibles (1997) 88: I’ll have to suck you off [...] I just can’t get it up again!
1959		W. Burroughs Naked Lunch (1968) 33: He can’t drink. He can’t get it up.
1964		H. Selby Jr Last Exit to Brooklyn 275: He couldnt get it up for 20 years, or maybe more.
1970		T. Southern Blue Movie (1974) 221: [of a woman] If she can get up up for me, I’ll stick it in.
1973		G.V. Higgins Digger’s Game (1981) 24: You’re not sure you can get it up.
1977		(con. 1960s) D. Goines Black Gangster (1991) 197: He’s too damn old to get one up.
1978		L. Kramer Faggots 80: We make up some new religion to excite us and get up our things.
1984		‘Derek Raymond’ He Died with His Eyes Open 28: ‘Can we make love, do you think?’ [...] ‘That depends,’ she says. ‘What on?’ ‘Could you get it up?’.
1990		S. Morgan Homeboy 25: The Manager gave him all the free bourbon he could guzzle and, if he could still get it up, some Oblivious backbooth skull.
1991		J. Osborne Déjàvu Act I: To his great astonishment [...] he can no longer get it up.
1998		I. Welsh Filth 216: Rumour had it [...] tthat he couldnae get it up otherwise.
2000		M.E. Dassad ‘Chickenhawk’ at www.cultdeadcow.com 🌐 when I’m in hunting mode I can get it up four or five times a day and the first one’s usually a quick one.
2000		Guardian G2 27 Mar. 4: The night he couldn’t get it up with Sharon Stone.
2013		J. Stahl Bad Sex on Speed 14: Remember how you felt the first time you couldn’t get it up? The scalding rage.
2015		I. Welsh Decent Ride 170: N ah kin git it up like that. He snaps his fingers.
2019		N. Walker Cherry 207: I tried to fuck Libby but I couldn’t get it up because I was on too much drugs.
2020		S.A. Crosby Blacktop Wasteland 59: Reggie couldn’t get it up and Ronnie was quick on the draw.
2024		C. Stella Joey Piss Pot 9: Carmine [...] can barely get it up anymore’.

2. (also get up) of a woman, to stimulate the penis to erection.

1779		Nocturnal Revels 2 20: [brothel advert] She must get up small things, even large ones occasionally, understand clear-starching without clapping , and know [how] to make standing crust.
1850		Man of Pleasure’s Illus. Pocket-book n.p.: [S]he was brought up a clear starcher, and [...] seems still to retain a proper knowledge of that vocation, as few ladies of that profession are better qualified to get up small things to the highest perfection.

3. in fig. use, to maintain enthusiasm for an idea, situation etc.

1938		J. O’Hara Hope of Heaven 25: It was a very boring meal, because his attitude seemed to say: ‘All right, get it up. [...] What have you got to say for yourself?’.
1963		in T.I. Rubin Sweet Daddy 46: Some of them can hardly get it up for that.
1970		in H.S. Thompson Great Shark Hunt (1980) 197: The liberals simply can’t get it up.
1982		W. Safire What’s The Good Word? 289: As I was sitting here at my desk [...] I found myself invited to cover a particular event — to which I replied, ‘I can’t get it up for that.’ This is odd, for two reasons: 1. I’m a woman. 2. I never use crude or sexual vernacular. [...] I hope you can get it up to discuss this in your column.
1992		R. Price Clockers 401: He’d get it up for a visit, go see if his brother needed anything.
2010		K. Richards Life 527: He couldn’t get it up to make his case.
2024		D. Rucker Life’s Too Short 188: As always, I rise to the occasion, get it up to perform.

4. (US Und.) to amass and produce a required sum of money, e.g. in payment of an outstanding debt.

1938		J. O’Hara Hope of Heaven 46: All I had to do was get up twenty dollars a plate.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 79/1: Get it up. An ominous demand for payment of blackmail, protection money, gambling debts, portions of loot believed withheld, etc.
1961		H. Ellison ‘At the Mountain of Blindness’ in Gentleman Junkie 63: I can’t get it up till tomorra’.
1963		in T.I. Rubin Sweet Daddy 120: What diff, so long as he gets it up. And I don’t mean the bagaga, Doc. I mean the gelt.
1967		M. Braly On the Yard (2002) 84: I’ll get it up, Chilly [...] You’ll get paid.
2000		Lehr & O’Neill Black Mass 76: From the backseat Bulger would whisper in a low but unmistakably firm tone about the need to ‘get it up’ or ‘face the consequences’ .