Library / English Dictionary

STEP UP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Increase in extent or intensity

Example:

The Allies escalated the bombing

Synonyms:

escalate; intensify; step up

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "step up" is one way to...):

increase (make bigger or more)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "step up"):

redouble (double in magnitude, extent, or intensity)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

step-up (the act of increasing something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Speed up

Example:

let's rev up production

Synonyms:

rev up; step up

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "step up" is one way to...):

increase (make bigger or more)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make oneself visible; take action

Example:

Young people should step to the fore and help their peers

Synonyms:

come forward; come out; come to the fore; step forward; step to the fore; step up

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "step up" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Credits