Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. the best brands of spirits [kept on a special high shelf in the public house].

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

2. (US) heaven.

1916		J.N. Hall Kitchener’s Mob 197: ’Ell won’t be such a dusty old place if all the Christians go upstairs.
1944		(con. 1920s) C. Fluck ‘Bubbles’ of the Old Kent Road 22: The lads meant no offence when they referred to God as the ‘Geyser upstairs.’.
1959		E. De Roo Young Wolves 18: This is my last season. I’m of retirement age now. This one year was a gift from upstairs.
1962		T. Berger Reinhart in Love (1963) 99: In the eyes of the Big Boy upstairs we are all even as children.
1972		D. Jenkins Semi-Tough 155: Barbara Jane looks her same old delectable self, just as if the Old Skipper sent her to us from upstairs.
1991		in J. Breslin Damon Runyon (1992) 19: What convinced him was the overwhelming number of Catholics in New York. ‘They have to be ahead upstairs.’.

3. (US prison) the gallows.

1935

A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks.

4. (US) the female breasts, pertaining to that area of the body.

1946		E. Wilson Pikes Peek or Bust 190: Marie [McDonald], who’s luscious in the bust department [...] came out bouncing prettily in all the right spots in a lamé dinner dress [...] it was a pretty dress and nice and tight upstairs .
2008		D. Jenkins Franchise Babe 3: [S]he was also first-team upstairs in a formfitting, sleeveless, scoop-neck white top.

5. (US Und.) an inside breast pocket.

1933		Ersine Und. and Prison Sl.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).

6. a higher authority, a senior position.

1959		E. De Roo Young Wolves 42: Upstairs won’t give us money for that, ya see. So we got to do a little promotion work on our own.
1984		‘Derek Raymond’ He Died with His Eyes Open 150: I felt ill-at-ease and disturbed after my conversation with upstairs.
1991		B. McCarthy Vice Cop 187: ‘[E]verything ran smoothly. I passed the word upstairs and Vice never even looked at the place’.
2010		(con. 1973) C. Stella Johnny Porno 245: ‘What would make things move on your end?’ ‘A direct order from the brass upstairs’.
2020		G. Disher Consolation 162: ‘I’ll kick it [i.e. a problem]upstairs’.

7. a lavatory.

1979

H. Leonard A Life (1981) Act II: I’ll just use your upstairs. Excuse me.

8. (UK Und.) the Crown Court.

2003

Observer Crime 27 Apr. 28: Upstairs. To be convicted at the crown court. The dock is reached by climbing the stairs from the cells.