warm up
Britishverb
-
to make or become warm or warmer
-
(intr) to exercise in preparation for and immediately before a game, contest, or more vigorous exercise
-
to get ready for something important; prepare
-
to run or operate (an engine, etc) until the normal working temperature or condition is attained, or (of an engine, etc) to undergo this process
-
to make or become more animated or enthusiastic
the party warmed up when Tom came
-
to reheat (already cooked food) or (of such food) to be reheated
-
(tr) to make (an audience) relaxed and receptive before a show, esp a television comedy show
noun
-
the act or an instance of warming up
-
a preparatory exercise routine
-
Prepare for exercise or an athletic event by stretching or practicing beforehand, as in It's important to warm up before you play any sport . The idiom is also applied to musicians getting ready to perform. [Late 1800s]
-
Make enthusiastic, excited, or animated, as in He was good at warming up an audience for the main speaker . [Mid-1800s]
-
Also, warm up to . Become friendlier or more receptive toward, as in I had a hard time warming up to my mother-in-law . [Early 1800s]
-
Reach a temperature high enough to work efficiently, as in I'll go out and warm up the car . [Mid-1900s]
-
Reheat food, as in If we warm up the leftovers, we'll have enough for everyone . [Mid-1800s]
-
Approach a state of violence or confrontation, as in Racial tension was rapidly warming up . Also see heat up .
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.
“I’d been playing a lot of Broadway softball,” the 35-year-old Klena recalls to me as his fellow Bananas warm up on the diamond.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
You don’t warm up to Carol at the beginning, and it’s on purpose.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
In the ballet rehearsal, they warm up, they finesse, they practice and pretend.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Canada’s job market continued to warm up into the summer with surprisingly strong hiring in July and a fall in the jobless rate to a two-year low.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
It took a long time for Bull to warm up and it gave Ben a chance to study his moves.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
