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build up

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phrasal verb
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theybuild up
he/she/itbuilds up
present participlebuilding up
past tensebuilt up
past participlebuilt up
  1. 1
    [intransitive/transitive] same as build (sense 3)

    Don’t allow resentment to build up between you and your partner.

    These exercises are good for building up leg strength.

  2. 2
    [transitive] same as build (sense 2)

    Stevens played a key role in building up the company.

  3. 3
    [transitive] to talk about someone or something in a very positive way so that people are impressed with them

    They’ve built him up to be something that he isn’t.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  build upThesaurus entry for this meaning of build up
  4. 4
    [transitive] to make someone bigger, healthier, and stronger, especially by making them eat more

    You need lots of fresh fruit to help build you up.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  build upThesaurus entry for this meaning of build up
  5. 5
    build up someone’s hopes to make someone think that something good is going to happen when in fact it is very unlikely

    I don’t want to build up her hopes if he’s not coming back.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  build upThesaurus entry for this meaning of build up
See also

This is the British English definition of build up. View American English definition of build up.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

 
See also main entry: build

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