ramp-up

or ramp up

[ ramp-uhp ]

noun
  1. an increase in amount, intensity, extent, etc., especially a steady increase; growth or buildup (often used attributively): Feeding the world by 2050 will necessitate a massive global ramp-up of industrial-scale agriculture.An oil field’s life cycle consists of a ramp-up period, a production plateau, and a period of decline.

  2. the gradual process of learning or mastering something; learning curve (often used attributively): Training for new hires should focus on shortening the ramp-up to proficiency.Even if customers switch platforms, they should still be able to use the application with little or no ramp-up time.

verb phraseramp up [ramp-uhp] /ˈræmp ˈʌp/ .
  1. to increase in amount, intensity, extent, etc., especially steadily; build: You can ramp up your studying in the weeks before taking the SAT.Immunity takes time to ramp up if the body has never seen the pathogen before.

  2. to progressively learn or become familiar with something: The two-year program allows for time to ramp up, develop skills, and apply them in real-world scenarios.

Origin of ramp-up

1
First recorded in 1980–85; noun use of verb phrase ramp up

Words Nearby ramp-up

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ramp-up in a sentence

  • Then the Pathans and Peterson's troopers, circling round the walls of the monastery, found a ramp up which they could climb.

    The Unveiling of Lhasa | Edmund Candler
  • He helped Porter wheel the ramp up to the door of the ship and then followed him up the steps.

    By Proxy | Gordon Randall Garrett
  • He found a spot where rocks had tumbled down, making a steep, rough ramp up the break.

    Wind | Charles Louis Fontenay

British Dictionary definitions for ramp up

ramp up

verb(adverb)
  1. to increase or cause to increase

  2. (intr) to increase the effort involved in a process

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012