root up

root up — phrasal verb

  • root upbase form
  • roots up3rd person singular
  • rooting up-ing form
  • rooted uppast simple

1. to dig into the ground around a plant and pull it out, including all of its root

1.phrasal verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to dig into the ground around a plant and pull it out, including all of its roots, so that the plant is removed completely — often done when clearing land, weeding, or transplanting something that has grown in the wrong place.

Example

We spent the whole morning rooting up the nettles that had taken over the vegetable patch.

root + up + [plant]: phrasal verb with object after 'up'

The gardener used a special fork to root up the old rose bush without damaging nearby flowers.

Common collocations
  • root up weeds
  • root up nettles
  • root up bushes
  • root up ivy
  • root up a stump
  • root up saplings
Synonyms
  • dig up

    more general — can apply to any digging, while 'root up' specifically implies removing the entire root system

  • pull up

    emphasises the pulling action rather than digging; suggests smaller plants with shallow roots

  • uproot

    the single-word equivalent, slightly more formal and common in both literal and figurative senses

Antonyms
  • plant

    putting a plant into the ground, the opposite action

  • sow

    planting seeds rather than removing plants

Grammar Patterns

root + up + [plant]

root [plant] + up

Usage Note

The object (the plant or thing being removed) can go either between 'root' and 'up' (root the weeds up) or after 'up' (root up the weeds). When the object is a pronoun, it must go between the two parts: root it up, not root up it.

Common Mistakes

He rooted up the soil looking for worms.
He dug up the soil looking for worms.
'root up' specifically means removing a plant with its roots, not just digging earth.
She rooted up her old photos from the box.
She dug out her old photos from the box.
'root up' is a literal gardening action, not for searching through objects.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: phrasal verb/1

'Root up', 'dig up', 'pull up', 'uproot', and 'tear out' all describe removing something from the ground, but with different shades. 'Root up' emphasises getting the entire root system out — it's the most thorough method. 'Dig up' is the broadest term: you could dig up a pipe, a bone, or a time capsule, not just plants. 'Pull up' suggests using your hands or simple force, and often works for weeds with shallow roots. 'Uproot' is the single-word synonym of 'root up' and works for both literal plants and figurative removal (e.g., 'uproot a family from their home'). 'Tear out' implies aggressive or violent removal and is less common in careful gardening contexts. For example, you would 'root up' nettles carefully to stop them regrowing, but you might 'tear out' a stubborn vine in frustration.

dig up ↗pull up ↗uproot ↗tear out

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • root up completely
  • root up carefully
  • root up thoroughly

Phrases

  • try to root up
  • manage to root up
  • help root up

Prepositions

  • root up from [the ground]
  • root up in [the garden]

Etymology

Old NorseOld EnglishEnglish

'Root' comes from Old English 'rōt', taken from Old Norse 'rōt', meaning the underground part of a plant. The phrasal verb 'root up' developed in English to describe the physical act of taking hold of a plant's root and pulling it out of the soil — a natural combination of the noun sense of 'root' with the directional particle 'up' (out of the ground).