dial up

present singular third person dials up · US participle present dialing up · UK participle present dialling up · US participle past dialed up · US past dialed up · UK participle past dialled up · UK past dialled up

1. To telephone, to call on the telephone.

   The written instructions weren't clear, so I dialed her up and asked her to explain what she meant.

   Synonyms: give a ring, phone, ring, ring up

2. To connect a computer to a modem.

   In those days it took three minutes just to dial up, and every minute you were connected was costing you a higher phone bill.

3. To increase the level (of something) by turning a dial, or (figuratively) as if by turning a dial.

   Near-synonym: ratchet up

   2 more examples

   These comments are guaranteed to dial up the animosity.

   Think Bernie Sanders versus Kamala Harris, but dialled up to France where revolution is part of the national psyche.

   2025 May 3, Leila Abboud, “Lunch with the FT: Jean-Luc Mélenchon”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3

   Synonyms: ratchet up · Antonyms: dial back