The spelling of the word "was the up up" might seem unusual at first glance, but it can be broken down phonetically. The first syllable "wɒz" represents the past tense of the verb "to be." The next syllable "ðə" is the definite article "the" pronounced with a schwa sound. Then comes "ʌp," which is spelled as it sounds and represents a high direction. Finally, there is "ʌp" again, this time representing repetition, as in "up up and away!" Together, they form an idiom meaning "completely done or finished."