A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase vanish into thin air— disappear completely from sight
or existence: Speed, confidence, shooting ability, all seemed to
have vanished into thin air.
come up roses • come up smelling of roses
come up roses —(also: come up daisies) turn out extremely
well, especially when things seemed to be going badly at first:
Everything has come up roses with the film and all the naysay-
ers have been pretty much silenced.
come up smelling of roses —(UK, also: come out smelling of
roses) emerge from an unfavorable situation with one’s repu-
tation undamaged: She gets into trouble all the time, but gen-
erally seems to come up smelling of roses.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase take time to smell the roses—(also: stop and smell the
roses) slow down and relax; take time out and enjoy life: While
he described Williams as a “phenomenal woman,” he also calls
her a “workaholic.” “She just doesn’t take time to smell the
roses,” he said.
See also: roses, roses all the way / roses round the door.
come up to something • go up to something
come up to something —
1
. reach as high as smth.: So, if you’re
driving through water and it comes up to your grille, it’s get-
ting to the stage where you may stall. 2. equal smth. in stan-
dard: The meals cooked in most restaurants do not come up
to those prepared at home. 3. (Progressive Tense) approach
smth. in time: It is coming up to November which means Ash
is about to head down the aisle and get married.
go up to something —
1
. = come up to something 
1
: If the water
goes up to your neck, you’re even much more slow, so the
deeper the water, the heavier you are. 2. go to an important
place: Women and children go up to town carrying buckets
with fruit and river snails. 3. (UK) be allowed to move to the
next higher class: You have to pass your end of year exam to
go up to the next grade. 4. reach as far as smth.: The second
chapter goes up to the end of the Great War; the third chapter
discusses the ideological conflicts.
See also: come down to something / go down to something.