up to the mark
up to the mark
Meaning
- to be good enough
- as good as expected
- to meet a minimum standard of quality
- to step up to the mark means to up your standards
- to keep someone up to the mark means to keep the standards high
Example Sentences
- Your exam results this term were not up to the mark.
- The play was not up to the mark.
- We expect all of our employees to deliver work that is up to the mark. You are not doing that.
- Continuous training will ensure that all work delivered will be up to the mark.
- Our team will need to step up to the mark if they want to win the championship.
- His boss keeps them up to the mark with bi-weekly reviews.
Origin
The word “mark” has been used in Middle English since 900. One of the uses of the word is a “dividing line”. That could mean a physical line or a figurative line. Though it is unclear where the idiom originated from it is not difficult to assume that there would be a line separating good achievements from the rest. If you are up to the mark you would thus be rated as better than the rest.
Synonyms
required standard; in control; in top of things; standard; par; gauge; level; norm; criterion; measure; yardstick; rule; scale
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