tool up
Idioms-
Provide the equipment for a particular task, as in Now that we're all tooled up let's repair the boat . This term originated in industry, where it is used for supplying a factory with machinery or other equipment for production. [1920s]
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Arm oneself, as in They tooled up for their encounter with the rival gang . [Second half of 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The company just better hope that Anthropic doesn’t have an AI video-calling tool up its sleeve.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026
Futures markets on Friday priced a nearly 73% chance that rates don’t rise above current levels through the end of the year, according to CME’s FedWatch tool, up from 24% a month ago.
From Reuters • Jul. 28, 2023
She called on the Met Police to stop using images of knives on its social media feeds, because young people were telling her they were influencing them to "tool up".
From BBC • Oct. 9, 2021
And it needs to tool up production for its hotly anticipated Cybertruck, which has been delayed until 2022.
From The Verge • Aug. 18, 2021
The rear toolpost slide is then adjusted to bring the point of the cutting-off tool up to the work, and the cam drum is revolved by hand until the piece is cut off.
From Turning and Boring A specialized treatise for machinists, students in the industrial and engineering schools, and apprentices, on turning and boring methods, etc. by Jones, Franklin D.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
