step up

present singular third person steps up · participle present stepping up · participle past stepped up · past stepped up

1. idiomatictransitiveTo increase, augment, or advance, especially by one or more steps.

   Near-synonym: level up

   4 more examples

   They will need to step up production if they are going to compete.

   Step up your shower game!

   As in the whole country, cadres and poor and lower-middle peasants in our Taning County, inspired by the spirit of the National Conference on Learning From Tachai in Agriculture, were greatly stimulated and high in spirits and resolved to fight hard in the movement of learning from Tachai in agriculture and building Tachai-type counties everywhere. In the face of the excellent situation, the anti-party clique of the "gang of four,"--Wang, Chang, Chiang and Yao--stepped up their antiparty activities and strengthend their attacks on the party.

   1976 November 5 [1976 November 2], “The 'Gang of Four' Sabotaged the Campaign to Learn From Tachai in Agriculture in a Vain Attempt to Restore Capitalism”, in Daily Report: People's Republic of China, volume I, number 215, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, sourced from Taiyuan Shansi Provincial Service, translation of original by Taning County CCP Committee (in Mandarin), →ISSN, →OCLC, page K 4

   United were made to pay for letting an eight-point lead as little as five weeks ago slip and, despite their final-day efforts, they will look back on a season where, when they needed to step up, they fell flat.

   2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport

   Synonyms: level up

present singular third person steps up · participle present stepping up · participle past stepped up · past stepped up

1. idiomaticintransitiveTo assume or take responsibility.

   Won't anyone step up to the challenge?

   1 more example

   The Gunners continued to press after the break but it was Leeds who broke the deadlock in the 54th minute. There was no doubt about the penalty either, with Denilson clumsily fouling Gradel and Snodgrass stepping up to find the bottom corner of the net.

   2011 January 8, Chris Bevan, “Arsenal 1 - 1 Leeds”, in BBC

   Synonyms: volunteer, offer · Antonyms: step aside, step down