Ever since encountering the phrase “up and running” in reference to the state of a mainframe in a university computer center in the early 1970s, I have wondered why the machine was described as both “up” and “running” when the intent was simply to convey the single idea that it was available for use.
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1Is it possible for the machine to be powered up without loading the code needed to "run"? If so "up" and "running" are different states. – KillingTime Apr 08 '23 at 22:34
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1It may have been influenced by the older phrase "off and running". – nnnnnn Apr 09 '23 at 00:26
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related - https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/77238/what-is-the-origin-of-up-and-did-something – Phil Sweet Apr 09 '23 at 01:37
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1Many fixed phrases contain redundancy, but are preferred to deleted forms (bits and pieces / pick and choose / rant and rave / yea and amen / leaps and bounds / nook and cranny ...). – Edwin Ashworth Apr 09 '23 at 14:07
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In the 1970s, saying that a machine was up was quite different from saying it was running. Two different metaphor themes were involved (both quite new, because computers were new, too): UP/DOWN for simple "living" status and WALK/RUN/PATH for doing (computer) work, linear goal-oriented. – John Lawler Apr 09 '23 at 18:34
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@JohnLawler, is you comment saying anything different from what is in the answer by Mr. Bredbenner? – jsw29 Apr 11 '23 at 14:54
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Older computers with vacuum tubes and even later ones with large hard drives needed to stabilize before processing. Once tubes had warmed up or drives come up to speed (up) then processing of card or tape instructions could take place (running).
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Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please [edit] to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center. – Community Apr 09 '23 at 01:00
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This is a reasonable explanation of the meanings of the two components of the phrase, but it should be noted that, even on this explanation, there is redundancy in it. When we say that a computer is running, that implies that it is up (although it is possible for it to be up and not yet running). – jsw29 Apr 10 '23 at 16:14
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This an idiomatic expression, so, as far as meaning goes, you can't analyse it and consider that there are two parts. It means "operating".
(Cambridge Dictionary) up and running idiom
If something, especially a system or a machine, is up and running it is operating:
• The engineer soon got the air-conditioning up and running again.
LPH
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The OP knows how the phrase is used. Even if the two components are welded together in the present-day use of the phrase (so that, as you suggest, one should not think of them as two distinct parts), one can reasonably wonder how the phrase came into being out of them, and that is what the question is about. Such questions about the origin of an idiom may be unanswerable when the idiom is very old, but this one does not seem to be. – jsw29 Apr 10 '23 at 20:57
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@jsw29 I don't agree; one can reasonably wonder how the phrase came into being, granted, and someone made a very pertinent comment with the aim of explaining that (a person had fallen while running), but as enlightening as that is, it was said as a comment and nobody used it in an answer, and I wouldnt either. That is not what has been asked. – LPH Apr 10 '23 at 22:17