pump up

present singular third person pumps up · participle present pumping up · participle past pumped up · past pumped up

1. transitiveTo inflate by means of a pump.

   Synonyms: air up

   1. transitiveTo do so with a pumping action.

      For someone who is in shape, it is not difficult to pump up a car tire with a bicycle pump; it is merely tedious. But you can get the job done if you need it bad enough.

      Synonyms: air up

2. figurativelytransitiveTo excite a person or group to a frenzy.

   The singer has been pumping up the audience.

3. intransitivetransitivebodybuildingTo cause one's muscles to swell by means of focused weightlifting.

   I want to pump you up.

   1 more example

   He's gonna help me pump up.

4. transitiveTo cause (something) to increase in intensity, salience or other traits beyond what is reasonable.

   You have to pump up the relatability of the characters in your screenplay.

5. transitiveTo increase the volume of (something).

   pump up the jam

   1 more example

   pump up the jukebox