ante up

Idioms  

1. Pay what is due, contribute; by extension, do one's share. For example, The trustees were asked to ante up $10,000 each for the new scholarship, or Tired of watching Joe sit around while they cleaned up, the roommates told him to ante up or move out. This expression comes from poker and other betting games, where to ante signifies making a bet or contribution to the pot before the cards are dealt. It was being used more loosely by the mid-1800s. Also see raise the ante.

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Example Sentences

Nelson and other researchers fear their projects could be left behind if the U.S. government doesn’t ante up a similar bolus of funding.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 2, 2024

Some collectors ante up to buy “special key” machines.

From Slate • Mar. 16, 2024

She’s starting out with about $2.3 million, barely enough to ante up in this high-stakes contest.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2024

“The arrangement was that we didn’t have to pay rent the first year. After that it was a few hundred dollars a month,” said Weiss, who was happy to ante up.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 4, 2022

“Let’s get down to basics, boy. If you don’t ante up, you won’t get any Thanksgiving dinner, and nobody will play Monopoly with you for a full week.”

From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals

Related Words

• accord
• allow
• award
• commit
• deliver
• donate
• grant
• hand out
• hand over
• permit
• present
• provide
• sell
• turn over