keepy-uppy
LowInformal
Definition
Meaning
The skill or game of keeping a ball (typically a football/soccer ball) in the air by repeatedly kicking or tapping it, without letting it touch the ground.
Can refer more generally to any repeated, often improvised, activity of keeping an object aloft or in motion. May also be used figuratively to describe maintaining something in a state of precarious activity.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun but can be used attributively. The word is playful and strongly associated with childhood and informal play, though it is also used in formal football/soccer contexts to refer to a training drill.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Commonly used and widely understood in British English. In American English, the term 'hacky sack' (from the brand name of a footbag) or simply 'keep-ups'/'juggling' is more typical for similar activities, making 'keepy-uppy' a marked Britishism.
Connotations
In the UK, it evokes street football, playgrounds, and childhood. In the US, if used, it would sound distinctly British and might be associated specifically with soccer rather than generic ball play.
Frequency
High frequency in UK informal speech, especially among football fans and parents. Very low frequency in US English; 'juggling a soccer ball' is the standard descriptive phrase.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
play + keepy-uppydo + keepy-uppyhave a game of + keepy-uppybreak one's + keepy-uppy + recordVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “"Life's just a big game of keepy-uppy." (figurative: maintaining multiple things in motion)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Almost never used. Potentially in a metaphorical sense in informal management talk: 'We're just playing keepy-uppy with customer complaints.'
Academic
Only in specific studies of sports pedagogy, play, or linguistics.
Everyday
Common in UK everyday speech when discussing football, play, or childhood games.
Technical
Used in football/soccer coaching as a term for a specific ball mastery and touch drill.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He's in the garden keepy-uppying with his new football.
- I can't believe you keepy-uppied it over a hundred times!
American English
- (Not used as a verb in AmE; 'juggling' is used instead) He's juggling the soccer ball.
adverb
British English
- (Not used as an adverb)
American English
- (Not used as an adverb)
adjective
British English
- He showed off some impressive keepy-uppy skills.
- We had a keepy-uppy competition.
American English
- (Rare; would be seen as a British borrowing) He has good keepy-uppy control.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children are playing keepy-uppy in the park.
- Can you do keepy-uppy?
- My brother is trying to beat his keepy-uppy record of fifty.
- We had a quick game of keepy-uppy before the match.
- His exceptional keepy-uppy ability was a sign of hours spent practicing alone.
- The coach incorporated keepy-uppy drills to improve first touch.
- Figuratively, managing the project deadlines felt like an endless session of corporate keepy-uppy.
- The street footballer's keepy-uppy routine, incorporating knees and head, drew a crowd.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
The word itself sounds like what it is: 'keep it UP, keep it UP-y' – a repetitive, bouncy, playful action.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTINUITY IS KEEPING SOMETHING IN THE AIR; MANAGING MULTIPLE TASKS IS JUGGLING/KEEPY-UPPY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation or calque. Russian might use 'жонглировать мячом' (to juggle a ball) or 'чеканка' (a specific football term). 'Keepy-uppy' is the specific cultural name for the game, not just a description.
Common Mistakes
- Spelling: 'keepie-uppie', 'keepy-uppie'. Treating it as a verb only (e.g., 'I keepy-uppied the ball'). It is primarily a noun.
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is the term 'keepy-uppy' most commonly used and understood as the standard term for the activity?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a real, established word in British English, though informal and playful in register. It appears in dictionaries and is used unselfconsciously by adults, especially in football contexts.
Americans are more likely to call the activity 'juggling a soccer ball' or, if using a footbag, 'hacky sack'. The term 'keepy-uppy' is a recognized Britishism in the US.
Yes, though it originates from football. You might hear it used humorously for keeping a beach ball, balloon, or even paperwork aloft, capitalising on the playful sound of the word.
'Keepy-uppy' is the most common standard spelling. Variants like 'keepie-uppie' are also seen. The key elements are the reduplication and the hyphen.