"Up" instead of "into"

[b.a.d.]

Hi!
I've seen in some phrases the "into" preposition was replaced with "up", but I couldn't find any information about this way of use neither in Oxford University online dictionary, nor in Longman dictionary.

Example:
"He stabbed a needle up his arm."
would this sentece be correct? Thanks in advance!

 

[susiedqq]

I don't think you can make a generalization about this.
Context would matter.

 

[JMurray]

"He stabbed a needle up his arm."
would this sentence be correct?

Hi b.a.d.
Susie is right in that context matters a lot. I would suggest that the main context in which "up" is used is when you're referring to drug taking. One obvious reason is that to self-inject inside the arm in the common manner, the needle is often held more or less pointing up the arm, hence the term "shooting up". People also say things like, " He's such a junky, every dollar he makes goes up his arm".
Your example of "he stabbed the needle up his arm" suggests a junky context both by the use of "up" and the rawness of "stabbed", but other contexts could be possible.
But it would not be usual for someone to say "the doctor stabbed the needle up my arm". It would almost always be something like "put the needle into my arm".