[General] Wired Up

[laviniaque]

Hi,

Could you please tell me the meaning of “wired up” and “chipper” in this sentence:

”She walks towards a hospital bed. SANDY is in it, wired up but looking chipper. He’s in his 20s.”

Thank you.

 

[laviniaque]

Where did you find this sentence?

From a playbook that I examine for our theatre company.

 

[Rover_KE]

Please tell us the title and author of the play. (It's a forum requirement when you quote somebody else's text.)

 

[laviniaque]

Sorry. It’s a play by David Hare, its name is I’m Not Running.

 

[Rover_KE]

Sorry. It’s a play by David Hare. Its name is "I’m Not Running".

wired up = connected to various life-support machines

chipper = cheerful

 

[laviniaque]

wired up = connected to various life-support machines

chipper = cheerful

I know this meaning of wired up but I saw “wired up” on Cambridge Dictionary with also this explanation: “Nervous or excited, for example because of a future event, or because you have drunk coffee or taken drugs.” Because of Sandy had an accident, I think maybe he has given something heavy for his pains. What is your opinion?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I know this meaning of wired up but I saw “wired up” on Cambridge Dictionary with also this explanation: “Nervous or excited, for example because of a future event, or because you have drunk coffee or taken drugs.” Because of Sandy had an accident, I think maybe he has given something heavy for his pains. What is your opinion?

Definitely not. The word but tells you that's not the meaning here. If that were the meaning, it would say wired up and, not wired up but.

In this context, it means attached to a bunch of machines. (It could also say hooked up — another phrase with more than one meaning.)

(Trans-Atlantic note: In the US, we usually say wired, not wired up, to mean high on amphetamines, over-stimulated, hyper, jacked up: Oh, man, Mom was really wired last night!)

 

[Rover_KE]

laviniaque, please stop writing thank-you posts and quoting our replies back to us. Using the 'Thank' button saves times for everybody.

 

[Tdol]

If it were the drugs meaning, then it should probably be and looking chipper, rather than but because the drugs would be contributing to his positive mood.

 

[Tdol]

Here's the context- I think it is wires not drugs. [Contains strong language]