BUILD UP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does build up mean? 

• BUILD UP (verb)
  The verb BUILD UP has 5 senses:

1. enlarge, develop, or increase by degrees or in stages

2. form or accumulate steadily

3. prepare oneself for a military confrontation

4. bolster or strengthen

5. change the use of and make available or usable

  Familiarity information: BUILD UP used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BUILD UP (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Enlarge, develop, or increase by degrees or in stages

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

build up your savings

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

increase (make bigger or more)

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

buildup (the act of building up an accumulation)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Form or accumulate steadily

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

build; build up; progress; work up

Context example:

Pressure is building up at the Indian-Pakistani border

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

develop (grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment)

Verb group:

build (develop and grow)

build; build up; ramp up; work up (bolster or strengthen)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Prepare oneself for a military confrontation

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

arm; build up; fortify; gird

Context example:

troops are building up on the Iraqi border

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

re-arm; rearm (arm anew)

forearm (arm in advance of a confrontation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 4

Meaning:

Bolster or strengthen

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

build; build up; ramp up; work up

Context example:

ramp up security in the airports

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

increase (make bigger or more)

Verb group:

build; build up; progress; work up (form or accumulate steadily)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 5

Meaning:

Change the use of and make available or usable

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

build up; develop

Context example:

The remote areas of the country were gradually built up

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

ameliorate; amend; better; improve; meliorate (to make better)

Verb group:

develop; make grow (cause to grow and differentiate in ways conforming to its natural development)

develop; modernise; modernize (become technologically advanced)

develop; educate; prepare; train (create by training and teaching)

develop (generate gradually)

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

redevelop (change the plans for the use of (land))

settle (establish or develop as a residence)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

Fenretinide may cause ceramide (a wax-like substance) to build up in tumor cells and kill them.

(Fenretinide, NCI Dictionary)

Free radicals can build up in cells and cause damage to other molecules, such as DNA, lipids, and proteins.

(Free radical, NCI Dictionary)

This causes too much of a fatty substance to build up in your spleen, liver, lungs, bones and, sometimes, your brain.

(Gaucher's Disease, NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

In some conditions, the eosinophils can move outside the bloodstream and build up in organs and tissues.

(Eosinophilic Disorders, NIH)

Chronic myeloproliferative disorders usually get worse over time as the number of extra cells build up in the blood and/or bone marrow.

(Chronic myeloproliferative disorder, NCI Dictionary)

A substance that can build up in cancer cells and block them from using folate.

(DHFR inhibitor, NCI Dictionary)

If they are damaged, waste and fluids build up in your blood instead of leaving your body.

(Diabetic Kidney Problems, NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

But sometimes uric acid can build up and form needle-like crystals.

(Gout, NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

A rare disorder in which histiocytes and lymphocytes (types of white blood cells) build up in organs including the skin, spleen, and liver, and destroy other blood cells.

(Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, NCI Dictionary)

Myeloproliferative disorders usually get worse over time as the number of extra cells build up in the blood and/or bone marrow.

(Myeloproliferative disorder, NCI Dictionary)