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Definition

Overwhelmed, busy, buried or swamped.

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Origins

All such constructions, along with elbow-deep, knee-deep, waist-deep, neckdeep, and so on, rely on the same metaphor: the depth to which a wader or swimmer is submerged in a body of water.

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In Context

  • "I have been up to here in paperwork all week."
  • "They have their lives to live and I'm up to here in disgust with mine."
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Related Idioms

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up the walls

Very busy, swamped.

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up in the air

Not yet resolved, finished, answered, decided or certain.

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up for

Willing to participate in; interested in.

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up to scratch

sufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality

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up to speed

Fully informed; current.

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up the river

To prison.
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