rev up

Idioms and Phrases

Increase the speed or rate of, enliven, stimulate, as in Bill revved up the motor , or They looked for ways to rev up the ad campaign . The verb rev is an abbreviation for revolution , alluding to the rate of rotation of an engine. The idiom dates from about 1920 and has been used figuratively since the mid-1900s.

Example Sentences

Lady Gaga performed a soulful version of “God Bless America” and spoke about empowering women, revving up the crowd.

From Los Angeles Times

Meanwhile, revving up the crowd at a rally in Reading, Pa., Trump took an even less subtle approach, wishing physical violence against his opponent.

From Salon

As his rugby revved up, his racing career stalled.

From BBC

Rapper Ice Cube performed on the field before first pitch, revving up the Dodgers fans and calling on the Yankees to "bow down to a team that's greater than you"

From BBC

Video played to the court showed Lynch "revving up" the situation before it turned violent and calling the police "scum", the judge said.

From BBC

Related Words

• advance
• expedite
• further
• hasten
• open up
• quicken
• spur
• step up
• stimulate