hunt up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, mainly British. Slightly dated.
Quick answer
What does “hunt up” mean?
To search for something with effort until you find it.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To search for something with effort until you find it.
To discover information or find something rare or difficult to locate by investigating or searching thoroughly. Can imply a process of rummaging or looking in various places.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More commonly used in British English. American English speakers are more likely to use 'hunt down', 'look up', or 'track down' in similar contexts.
Connotations
In BrE, it has a neutral-to-slightly old-fashioned or quaint feel. In AmE, it may sound distinctly British.
Frequency
Low-to-mid frequency in BrE, very low frequency in AmE, where it might be perceived as a borrowing.
Grammar
How to Use “hunt up” in a Sentence
[Subject] hunts up [Direct Object][Subject] hunts [Direct Object] up (less frequent)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hunt up” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- I'll try to hunt up his phone number for you.
- She hunted up some old maps in the attic.
American English
- Can you hunt up that report from 2020? (marked as BrE influence)
- He hunted up a classic car for the film.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"We need to hunt up the original contract before the meeting."
Academic
"She hunted up several obscure 19th-century sources for her thesis."
Everyday
"I'll hunt up that recipe for you—I know it's in one of these cookbooks."
Technical
Rare. Might be used informally: "Hunt up the old error logs from last year's deployment."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hunt up”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hunt up”
- Using it in very formal writing (too informal).
- Confusing it with 'hunt down', which has a more aggressive/persistent connotation.
- Incorrect word order: 'I hunted the library for up the book.' (Correct: 'I hunted up the book in the library.')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Hunt up' focuses on finding something (often information or an object) through searching. 'Hunt down' implies a more aggressive, persistent pursuit, often of a person or something elusive, with the intent to capture or confront.
It's best to avoid it in formal writing. Use more formal synonyms like 'locate', 'retrieve', 'find', or 'research' instead.
Yes, 'up' is part of the phrasal verb. Here it functions as a completive particle, suggesting the successful conclusion of the search ('finding' as the end point).
It is understood but is perceived as a Britishism. Americans are more likely to say 'look up' (for information), 'track down', or 'dig up'.
To search for something with effort until you find it.
Hunt up: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhʌnt ʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhənt ʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly. Related to the hunting metaphor.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a detective with a magnifying glass HUNTing for clues, looking UP and down until the truth is UP (found).
Conceptual Metaphor
INFORMATION/RESOURCES ARE PREY (to be hunted and captured). SEARCHING IS HUNTING.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'hunt up' most appropriately?