Parked Up vs Parked

[Zimunya]

Everyone in my office says "parked up" when referring to parking their car. I think the "up" is redundant, as "parked" suffices. But is this one of the English language's many subtle but critical differences? Does anyone know?

I would only use it if I remained in the car a while- to eat lunch or something. I wouldn’t use it for generic parking.

perhaps it’s regional?

Cambridge dictionary gives the difference as:

Park up= to park and leave your vehicle for some time
Park= no additional inference of time

So, as with phrasal verbs in general, the particle gives an extra meaning, or extra bit of information.

I think 'parked up' refers to storing a car for an extended period. I think your colleagues should just say they have parked their car if it's just for the duration of the working day.

Just seen I've cross posted the same response.

isn’t it one of these insidious Americanisms that is creeping in? We always used to just say parked didn’t we?

As I read the first two posts, I felt like that!!

DH says it too, and I don't like it either.

It would make sense if there was also a 'parked down', which there isn't.

No. Phrasal verbs are all old English in origin. Rarely used in US English.

I would use ‘parked up’ if the person was staying in the car, such as somewhere picturesque whilst eating lunch.

I would only use parked up if I was leaving the car for some time, such as having it SORN or in storage or similar.

I wouldn't use it for eternally day to day parking.

Hmmm interesting!
I would say 'I parked near the station' referring to the position of the car, whereas 'parked up' means getting out of the car, unloading bags, buggies, bikes etc There is a subtle difference in meaning....

Yup, I agree with this. Or ‘DS, I’m parked up outside yours, can you run out and bring me my coat I left yesterday?’

Well, this in intriguing! My colleagues use "parked up" to describe parking their car at work - so not for a long period of time, and nor are they waiting in the car. But it's clear from the posts above that this phrase is commonly used. Thank you to everyone for your insights :)

When I saw this I'm reminded of being told to rest up. What does it mean?

I'd say the "up" in "rest up" adds the same nuance.
Rest- could be 30 seconds, could be an hour etc. No real inference beyond the main meaning

Rest up- after something more strenuous or after being ill maybe.

'Up' has long been used as an idiomatic addition which subtly changes the emphasis: clear up, finish up, rest up, come up, shut up, etc.

There's a difference in meaning but it's interesting that there's no agreement on what the difference is. It's something to do with time, but you staying with the car for a while or the car staying off the road for a while are completely different. Perhaps it's about putting the emphasis on what happened after you pulled up rather than the act of parking? Similar to 'rest up' and 'have a rest '?

Parked up - waiting for someone
Parked - leaving the car
Parked down - only really used when gesturing towards the car ie "I'm parked down there"

I've noticed the insidious creep of this and it's so irritating. When did parking "up" became a thing.

Everyone and their granny's dog seems to use it. DH has been warned!

My husband says this.

He, and many other people I've noticed, also unnecessarily adds in 'off' to sentences e.g. 'I'm just going to fry off these onions' which drives me batty

They're not a new thing and are very useful. They add meaning as above.

Most have a latinate synonym which came much later than the original root of the phrasal verb and is considered much more formal (go down/descend for example) The roots of the phrasal verbs come from old/middle English which, in turn, came from the Norse languages.

That they've now evolved by adding the particle to give an extra, different, or idiomatic meaning is a brilliant example of language reflecting its context.

Yes. More specifically when I say parked I’d always follow it with a location.

I parked on the 2nd floor
I parked round the corner

parked up has more finality about it and is not necessarily location specific

Yes there is.

'I parked down the road as there was no where closer for me to park up. 🤣'

No. Americans don't say "parked up."

Surely in this example 'down' belongs to 'the road' just as you would say 'up the road'. It indicates the direction on the road. It's just coincidence that the previous word is parked.

@CarolinaInTheMorning , you’re right, but where did it suddenly come from I wonder? Twenty years ago I could swear we all just talked about parking, not parking up!