step up
phrasal verbstep up
- to come forward
- She stepped up to receive her prize.
- (figurative) Employers have stepped up to help bridge the gap between education and work.
step something up
- to increase the amount, speed, etc. of something
- He has stepped up his training to prepare for the race.
- The teaching unions are stepping up industrial action in support of their pay claim.
- If he wants to win this election, he really needs to step it up (= put in more effort).