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.

Related Words

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