[uhp-er] 
| 1. | higher, as in place, position, pitch, or in a scale: the upper stories of a house; the upper register of a singer's voice. |
| 2. | superior, as in rank, dignity, or station. |
| 3. | (of places) at a higher level, more northerly, or farther from the sea: the upper slopes of a mountain; upper New York State. |
| 4. | (often initial capital letter ) Stratigraphy. denoting a later division of a period, system, or the like: the Upper Devonian. |
| 5. | the part of a shoe or boot above the sole, comprising the quarter, vamp, counter, and lining. |
| 6. | an upper berth. |
| 7. | a gaiter made of cloth. Compare gaiter (def. 1). |
| 8. | Usually, uppers,
|
| 9. | Informal. the higher of two bunks or berths. |
| 10. | on one's uppers, Informal. reduced to poverty; without sufficient means: They are on their uppers but manage to hide the fact from their friends. |
| upper (ŭp'ər) Pronunciation Key
Being a later or more recent division of the geological or archaeological period named. Compare lower. |
on one's uppers
Poor, in reduced circumstances, as in as in The Smiths try to hide the fact that they're on their uppers. First recorded in 1886, this metaphoric term alludes to having worn out the soles of one's shoes so badly that only the top portions remain.