step-up

American  

[step-uhp] / ˈstɛpˌʌp /

Or stepup

adjective

1. effecting an increase.

2. Electricity. serving to increase voltage.

   a step-up transformer.

3. (of a lease) allowing for gradual rent increases to the highest amount permissible.

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noun

1. an increase or rise in the rate or quantity of something.

step up British  

verb

1. (tr) to increase or raise by stages; accelerate

2. (intr) to make progress or effect an advancement; be promoted

3. 1. baseball to move into batting position

   2. to come forward and take responsibility for something

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adjective

1. (of a transformer) increasing a low voltage applied to the primary winding to a higher voltage on the secondary winding Compare step down

2. informal involving a rise by stages

noun

1. informal an increment in quantity, size, etc

step up Idioms  

1. Increase, especially in stages, as in We've got to step up production . [Early 1900s] Also see step down , def. 2.

2. Come forward, as in Step up to the podium, folks, and I'll show you how it works . [Mid-1600s]

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Etymology

Origin of step-up

First recorded in 1890–95; adj., noun use of verb phrase step up

Example Sentences

In Washington state, community property with right of survivorship avoids probate and has a step-up in basis.

From MarketWatch

“As we had promised, organic top-line growth accelerated quarter after quarter, boosted by the step-up in our launch plan and supported by a gradually improving beauty market,” Hieronimus said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some caveats: If the home is sold at the first spouse’s death, only the deceased spouse’s 50% typically receives a capital-gains step-up in tax, while the surviving spouse’s half keeps its original cost basis.

From MarketWatch

“This is reflected in a marked step-up in their medium-term capacity plans and in our record order intake.”

From The Wall Street Journal

For one, Jefferies analyst Brent Thill predicts the “largest step-up in history” on remaining performance obligations, a measure of backlog, after last quarter’s $392 billion, which reflected accelerating growth of 51%.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• boost
• escalate
• hasten
• improve
• increase
• intensify
• quicken
• raise
• speed