build up - Idioms - by the Free Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

build someone or something up

1. Lit. to make someone or something bigger or stronger. Tom is lifting weights to build himself up for basketball. Tom needs to build up his upper body.

2. Fig. to advertise, praise, or promote someone or something. Theatrical agents work very hard to build up their clients. Advertising can build a product up so much that everyone will want it.

See also: build, up

build someone or something up (into someone or something)

to develop or advance someone or something into a particular [desirable] kind of person or thing. The publicity people built her up into a singer whom everyone looked forward to hearing. The agent built up the local band into a top national act.

See also: build, up

build someone or something up (into someone or something)

See also: build, up

build someone up (for something)

Fig. to prepare someone for something; to bring a person into a state of mind to accept some information. We built them up for the challenge they were to face. We had to build up the woman before breaking the bad news.

See also: build, up

build something up

1. Lit. to add buildings to an area of land or a neighborhood. They are really building this area up. There is no more open space. They built up the area over the years.

2. Fig. to develop, accumulate, or increase something, such as wealth, business, goodwill, etc. I built this business up through hard work and hope. She built up a good business over the years.

3. Fig. to praise or exalt something; to exaggerate the virtues of something. The master of ceremonies built the act up so much that everyone was disappointed when they saw it. He built up the act too much.

See also: build, up

build up

to increase; to develop. The storm clouds are building up. Better close the windows.

See also: build, up

? References in classic literature
As soon as this occurred, the bees ceased to excavate, and began to build up flat walls of wax on the lines of intersection between the basins, so that each hexagonal prism was built upon the festooned edge of a smooth basin, instead of on the straight edges of a three-sided pyramid as in the case of ordinary cells. The Origin of Species by Darwin, Charles View in context "My dear young lady," he said, "you do not understand how important even the point of view of another person is to a man who is struggling to build up a theory. The Illustrious Prince by Oppenheim, E. Phillips View in context Few Moors can ever build up their fortunes again in one short lifetime after so reckless an outlay. The Innocents Abroad by Twain, Mark View in context More results

? References in classic literature

As soon as this occurred, the bees ceased to excavate, and began to build up flat walls of wax on the lines of intersection between the basins, so that each hexagonal prism was built upon the festooned edge of a smooth basin, instead of on the straight edges of a three-sided pyramid as in the case of ordinary cells.

The Origin of Species by Darwin, Charles View in context

"My dear young lady," he said, "you do not understand how important even the point of view of another person is to a man who is struggling to build up a theory.

The Illustrious Prince by Oppenheim, E. Phillips View in context

Few Moors can ever build up their fortunes again in one short lifetime after so reckless an outlay.

The Innocents Abroad by Twain, Mark View in context

More results