sew up

sew up
transitive verb
1. Britain : to wear out : fatigue

reclining hopelessly on a settee, already dazed, sewn up, exhausted, and knocked out — Herbert Read

2.
a. : to secure or assure exclusive control of (as a business proposition or arrangement) usually by verbal agreement or contract : monopolize

the guilds had sewed up such primitive trade and industry as there were — D.C.Coyle

in a position to sew up the preferred time spots — Goodman Ace

b. : to arrange for exclusive control or use of the services of (a person) : to place under contract

the stars were already sewed up in three-year deals by the established hotels — Time

hopes to sew up the champion for a 15-round battle

c. : to obtain or make certain of the support or cooperation of (a person or group)

sew up as many … delegates as possible — Newsweek

we sewed up the women's vote with this one — Time

d. slang : to gain exclusive hold on the affection or attention of (a person)

the girl who asked him hadn't been able to sew up the captain of the … football team — Scott Fitzgerald

3. : to settle or determine (as the outcome or development)

backstage negotiations have sewed up the results in advance — Newsweek

need only one more victory to sew up their third straight … championship — Time

when he confessed before he died, that sewed the whole thing up — Hartley Howard

* * *

sew up [phrasal verb]
sew (something) up or sew up (something)
1 : to close or repair (something) by using a needle and thread

He sewed up the tear in his shirt.

The surgeon sewed up the wound.

2 a : to do the final things that are needed to complete (something) in a successful way

They're sewing up the details of the agreement.

— often used as (be) sewn/sewed up

The deal was sewn up by lunchtime.

2 b : to make (something, such as a victory) certain

He scored a touchdown that sewed up the win/game.

— often used as (be) sewn/sewed up

They felt they had the win/game sewn up. [=they felt that they were certainly going to win]

It looks like he has the nomination all sewn up.

• • •
Main Entry: ↑sew

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • sew — [səu US sou] v past tense sewed past participle sewn [səun US soun] or sewed [I and T] [: Old English; Origin: siwian] to use a needle and thread to make or repair clothes or to fasten something such as a button to them ▪ I learned to sew at… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • sew — O.E. siwian to stitch, earlier siowian, from P.Gmc. *siwjanan (Cf. O.N. syja, Swed. sy, O.H.G. siuwan, Goth. siujan to sew ), from PIE root *syu to bind, sew (Cf. Skt. sivyati sews, sutram t …   Etymology dictionary

  • sew — [sō] vt. sewed, sewn or sewed, sewing [ME sewen < OE siwian, akin to Goth siujan < IE base * siw , to sew > SEAM, L suere (pp. sutus), to sew, sew together] 1. to join or fasten with stitches made with needle and thread 2. to make, mend …   English World dictionary

  • Sew — Sew, v. t. [imp. {Sewed}; p. p. {Sewed}, rarely {Sewn}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sewing}.] [OE. sewen, sowen, AS. si[ o]wian, s[=i]wian; akin to OHG. siuwan, Icel. s?ja, Sw. sy, Dan. sye, Goth. siujan, Lith. siuti, Russ, shite, L. ssuere, Gr. ????, Skr.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sew — [ sou ] (past tense sewed; past participle sewn [ soun ] or sewed) verb intransitive or transitive * 1. ) to make or repair clothes using a needle and THREAD: sew a skirt/hem 2. ) to fasten something using a needle and THREAD: sew something on… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • sew|er — sew|er1 «SOO uhr», noun. an underground drain to carry off waste water and refuse. SYNONYM(S): conduit. ╂[< Old French sewiere sluice from a pond, ultimately < Latin ex out + aquāria (water) vessel < aqua water] sew|er2 «SOH uhr», noun.… …   Useful english dictionary

  • sew — [səʊ ǁ soʊ] verb sewed PASTTENSE sewn PASTPART [səʊn ǁ soʊn] also sewed sew something → up phrasal verb [transitive] 1 …   Financial and business terms

  • Sew — Sew, n.[OE. See {Sewer} household officer.] Juice; gravy; a seasoned dish; a delicacy. [Obs.] Gower. [1913 Webster] I will not tell of their strange sewes. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sew — Sew, v. t. [See {Sue} to follow.] To follow; to pursue; to sue. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sew — Sew, v. i. To practice sewing; to work with needle and thread. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sew — Sew, v. t. [[root]151 b. See {Sewer} a drain.] To drain, as a pond, for taking the fish. [Obs.] Tusser. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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