"on the up and up"

[Marc Sacks]

I've always seen and used the term as you have (with a variant "on the up
and square" I know only from Popeye's song, but he must have gotten it
from someplace). However, the last example you cite seems to be used in
the "honest and straightforward" sense, as in the quarterback is who he
seems to be, or as good as he's made out to be. I don't see the idea of
increase or improvement in that example.

Marc Sacks
msacks at theworld.com

> When you do a Google search, a substantial proportion of the hits
> that first come up for "on the up and up" have the  meaning "on the
> increase" or "improving." A lot of these are from UK, Commonwealth,
> or other foreign sources, but quite a few are American, too (see
> below). I wasn't aware of this sense, and I haven't found any
> dictionary that lists it -- for me, "on the up and up" can only mean
> "honest and straightforward." Does anyone know how long this has been
> around?
>
> Geoff Nunberg
>
> Distribution Daybook: On the Up and Up
> Independent Publishers Group (IPG) in Chicago, Ill., was one of the
> biggest success stories of 2002. According to president Mark
> Suchomel, "We had increases over 20%."-- Publishers Weekly
>
> Takeovers on the Up and Up
> Long available but little used, the homepage takeover may finally be
> hitting its stride as an ad format. -- Rich Media News
>
> Activity fees on the up and up at Lester Prairie schools -- Howard
> Lake-Waverly-Montrose Herald Journal  (Minnesota)
>
> Fees on the up-and-up
> Radio stations, some TV stations and winners of permits to build new
> broadcast facilities would pay higher regulatory fees in 2001 under
> proposed charges unveiled by the FCC. -- Broadcasting and Cable
>
> Quarterback Brooks is on the up and up
> Aaron Brooks has been a closely watched man during Virginia's
> preseason practice period, and the reviews so far from his teammates
> and coaches are good. -- The Sabre, UVa sports newspaper
>