Akademik

build up
verb
1. enlarge, develop, or increase by degrees or in stages (Freq. 7)
-

build up your savings

Derivationally related forms: ↑buildup
Hypernyms: ↑increase
Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

-

Something ——s something

2. form or accumulate steadily (Freq. 6)
-

Resistance to the manager's plan built up quickly

-

Pressure is building up at the Indian-Pakistani border

Syn: ↑work up, ↑build, ↑progress
Derivationally related forms: ↑progress (for: ↑progress)
Hypernyms: ↑develop
Verb Group: ↑build, ↑work up, ↑ramp up
Verb Frames:
-

Something ——s

3. prepare oneself for a military confrontation (Freq. 2)
-

The U.S. is girding for a conflict in the Middle East

-

troops are building up on the Iraqi border

Syn: ↑arm, ↑fortify, ↑gird
Ant: ↑disarm (for: ↑arm)
Derivationally related forms: ↑fortification (for: ↑fortify), ↑fort (for: ↑fortify), ↑armor (for: ↑arm), ↑armament (for: ↑arm), ↑arm (for: ↑arm)
Hyponyms: ↑rearm, ↑re-arm, ↑forearm
Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s

4. bolster or strengthen
-

We worked up courage

-

build up confidence

-

ramp up security in the airports

Syn: ↑work up, ↑build, ↑ramp up
Hypernyms: ↑increase
Verb Group: ↑work up, ↑build, ↑progress
Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

-

Something ——s something

5. change the use of and make available or usable
-

develop land

-

The country developed its natural resources

-

The remote areas of the country were gradually built up

Syn: ↑develop
Derivationally related forms: ↑development (for: ↑develop), ↑developer (for: ↑develop)
Hypernyms: ↑better, ↑improve, ↑amend, ↑ameliorate, ↑meliorate
Hyponyms: ↑redevelop, ↑settle
Verb Group:
train, ↑develop, ↑prepare, ↑educate, ↑modernize, ↑modernise, ↑make grow
Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

* * *

build up [phrasal verb]
1 : to increase gradually in amount as time passes :accumulate

They pick up the garbage that builds up [=collects] along the highway.

Dust has begun building up on his piano.

These dangerous chemicals are building up in our lakes and ponds.

2 build (something or someone) up or build up (something or someone) : to say many good things about (something or someone)

Political candidates are trying to build themselves up [=promote themselves] with public speeches and TV commercials.

The movie was built up so much [=we heard so many good things about the movie] that we were disappointed when we actually saw it.

— see also build 2, 1,

3, 4 (ABOVE)

, buildup
• • •
Main Entry:build

* * *

ˌbuild ˈup (to sth) derived
to become greater, more powerful or larger in number

All the pressure built up and he was off work for weeks with stress.

The music builds up to a rousing climax.

related noun build-up (1)
Main entry:buildderived

Useful english dictionary. 2012.