upward of

English

Phrase

upward of

1. more than

   Police believe that upward of 30 local burglaries may have been carried out by the suspects.

   • 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:

     I have been your wife in this obedience / Upward of twenty years.