[UP- 2. Cf. UPSHOOT sb. 1, -SHUT.]
† 1. A final shot in a match at archery; chiefly fig., a closing or parting shot. Obs.
1531. Privy Purse Exp. Hen. VIII. (1827), 143. Item [paid] to the same Coton for one up shotte that he wanne of the kinges grace, vj s. viij d.
1575. Laneham, Lett. (1871), 54. Wel, to this number of biniteez, take ye one mo for an vpshot, & heer an eend.
1589. Nashe, Anat. Absurd., Ep. Ded. 4. Euery man shotte his bolte, but this was the vpshot, that England afforded many mediocrities.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxv. § 12. As for their last vpshot of all towards this marke, they are of opinion [etc.].
1614. Jackson, Creed, III. i. § 13. As it were for an vp-shot to all the fooles thunderbolts they had let flie before.
1618. Bolton, Florus (1636), 56. That event which vertue was about to have given heere, for an upshot, or clozing Victory, fortune gave.
† 2. A mark or end aimed at. Obs.
1591. Spenser, M. Hubberd, 770. The onely vpshot whereto he doth ayme.
1595. Locrine, III. ii. 45. Our regall minde, Which aimes at nothing but a golden crowne, The only vpshot of mine enterprises.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, A 3 b. They could not come to the vpshotte of their desires but in the time of warre.
1660. H. More, Myst. Godl., IV. ix. 121. The Ephesians erecting the Image of Hercules…, which is a sign that Pagan Idolatry was the upshot of the plot.
1754. Sherlock, Disc., i. 21. The Upshot of all Religion is to please God.
† 3. An end, conclusion, or termination. Obs.
c. 1580. Stanyhurst, Æneis, etc. (Arb.), 152. Vertuus he liued, through grace that vertuus eended. What may be then better, than a godly and gratius vpshot?
1595. Southwell, St. Peter’s Compl., etc. 55. Death cals her vp, shame driues her out, Despaires her vp-shot make.
a. 1617. Bayne, On Eph. (1658), 70. Through fear of death the upshot of evils.
1639. S. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 73. To cast him into his grave, and to make a ridiculous upshot of his life.
1662. Hibbert, Body Divinity, II. 113. They were sung at the departure of the people out of the temple, for an upshot to their divine service.
† b. The climax or completion of something.
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., I. 17. For the upshot and perfection of all happines and felicitie in this world.
c. The extreme limit. Also attrib.
1699. Boyer, Dict. Royal, II. s.v., A gay Coat and a Grimace is the upshot of what he can pretend to.
1838. De Quincey, Wks. (1890), XII. 158. We account it frailty that threescore years and ten make the upshot of man’s pleasurable existence.
1864. Field, 23 July, 62/1. The odds in this instance were of a more moderate character than those ventured at Liverpool, 4 to 1 being her upshot price.
4. The result, issue, or conclusion (of some course of action, etc.).
In very frequent use from c. 1830.
1604. Shaks., Ham., V. ii. 395. So shall you heare … Of accidentall iudgements,… And in this vpshot, purposes mistooke.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, iv. 82. You shall commonly see … a dropsey to be the vpshot of all their outragious drinkings.
1649. Milton, Eikon., xviii. 166. Hee sought them onely, as by the upshot appeard, to get opportunities.
1680. C. Nesse, Church Hist., 323. The upshot of all was, our Lord vanquished the devil.
1737. Whiston, Josephus, Wars, V. xi. 6. The Jews … prevented the upshot of the battle, and retired into the city.
1782. Miss Burney, Cecilia, V. xii. Suppose a man was to talk in that manner when he’s doing business, what would be the upshot?
1834. Pringle, Afr. Sk., xi. 341. The upshot was, that I found myself overwhelmed with debts.
1856. Merivale, Rom. Emp., xlvi. V. 289. The senators had been growing uneasy, not knowing what upshot to anticipate.
1887. T. A. Trollope, What I remember, I. xvii. 347. A council … was called, the upshot of which was that our two … allies decided to return to Dover.
b. The conclusion resulting from the premises of an argument.
1639. F. B., trans. Balzac’s Lett. (vol. IV.), 174. This is the upshot of all,… that you must lay a foundation of Bounty.
1677. W. Hughes, Man of Sin, III. iv. 142. The Upshot … must necessarily come to this, that The Pope is certainly the Man of Sin.
1710. Berkeley, Princ. Hum. Knowl., § 75. Yet the upshot of all is—that there are certain unknown Ideas in the mind of God.
1768. Foote, Devil, III. Wks. 1799, II. 269. Putting that and t’other together, my notion of the upshot is, that … you must have been born there.
1799. Kirwan, Geol. Ess., 496. The upshot of my argument was simply this.
5. In phrases: a. In (rarely at, † upon) the upshot, in the end, at last. † Also const. of.
(a) 1577. Harrison, England, III. vii. (1878), II. 28. He … killed them [sc. deer] with his hands in the vpshot of that exercise and end of his recreation.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXI. xiv. 401. A cruell commaundement,… but yet needfull, as afterwards it was well seene in the end and upshot of all.
1634. W. Tirwhyt, trans. Balzac’s Lett. (vol. I.), 130. We shall in the upshot see them remove mountaines.
1675. Alsop, Anti-Sozzo, 695. We may be sure that all come to this in the Up shot.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., VII. § 24. In the upshot, I apprehend you will find it impracticable to destroy all sense of religion.
1768. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), I. 37. The service I may do will rise to the same amount in the upshot.
1837. Lockhart, Scott, I. v. 145. Good for the higher faculties themselves in the upshot.
1854. De Quincey, Wks. (1889), II. 184. In the upshot, this conclusion eventuated (to speak Yankeeishly), that purely on principles of … universal philanthropy could Coleridge have meditated … the insult.
(b) 1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 118. It was probable that the King of Spaine would doe something now at the vpshot.
c. 1628. Preston, Mt. Ebal (1638), 48. They shall pay deere for it at the last upshot.
1714. Pope, Lett., 13 July, Wks. 1751, VII. 204. At the upshot, after a life of perpetual application, you reflect [etc.].
1823. Bentham, Not Paul, 81. To apprehend him for the purpose of trying him, and probably at the upshot killing him.
(c) 1699. Boyer, Upon the upshot,… aprês tout.
1709. O. Dykes, English Proverbs, 145. Malice, Spite, and Envy, are always Self-Murderers upon the Upshot.
1796. Charlotte Smith, Marchmont, I. 207. Upon the upshot it appears … that he was deeper in for it than any body thought for.
b. To bring, come, etc., to the (or an) upshot, to bring to, arrive at, a final or decisive point.
1600. Edmonds, Observ. Cæsar’s Comm. (1604), 35. To the end he might bring the matter to a speedy vpshot.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., IV. ii. 76. I cannot pursue with any safety this sport to the vppeshot.
1646. Trapp, Comm. John vii. 50. How far had Judas outstripped Nicodemus till it came to the upshot!
1728. Earl of Ailesbury, Mem. (1890), 463. When it came to the upshot he … had all burnt.
† c. At an upshot, at an end. Obs.
1653. trans. Stegmann’s Brevis Disq., i. 1. If they once obtain that their Church … is such a Judge…,… the whole businesse is at an upshot.
6. † a. slang. ? A riotous frolic. Obs.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, Pref. They may … abuse their less spirited companions, who prefer a good dinner at home to a glorious up-shot in the highway, without the hazard of a cudgelling.
b. dial. A merry-making, a feast.
1837. Penny Cycl., VIII. 223/2. Cumbrian peasantry have various festive meetings, called the kirn,… sheep-shearing, merry nights, and upshots.
