work-up
noun
an undesirable deposit of ink on a surface being printed, caused by the forcing into type-high position of quads or other spacing material.
work-up
American
[wurk-uhp]
/ ˈwɜrkˌʌp /
noun
Printing.
work up
British
verb
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to arouse the feelings of; excite
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to cause to grow or develop
to work up a hunger
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(also preposition) to move or cause to move gradually upwards
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to manipulate or mix into a specified object or shape
-
to gain knowledge of or skill at (a subject)
work up
Idioms
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Arouse emotions; see worked up .
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Increase one's skill, status, or responsibility through effort, as in He worked up to 30 sit-ups a day , or She worked up to bank manager . Also see work one's way . [Second half of 1600s]
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Intensify gradually, as in The film worked up to a thrilling climax . [Second half of 1600s]
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Develop or produce by effort, as in Swimming always works up an appetite . [Second half of 1600s]
Etymology
Origin of work-up
Noun use of verb phrase work 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.
See Examples For:
The next time my mother tells me that something does not feel right, I will make sure her work-up is thorough and her screenings—the ones that the current evidence recommends—are current.
From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026
When Warren first met her now-husband, she sent him for a full lab work-up, HSV test included.
From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2022
A full medical work-up for that, if he'll cooperate.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 29, 2022
Yet, this is often what distressed patients with irritable bowel syndrome hear, implicitly or explicitly, when a medical work-up reveals no apparent explanation for their repeated bouts of abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea or constipation.
From New York Times ● Aug. 2, 2021
The patient had a full cardiac work-up a few months earlier that he said was normal.
From New York Times ● Jul. 28, 2021
Lawmakers are trying to work up the nerve to solve it, but progress toward legislation remains slow and halting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
The new findings indicate that this protection may only work up to a point, said Angela Encerrado-Manriquez, the paper's lead author and a recent Ph.D. graduate from UC Davis.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
"I'm getting to sit and observe a master at work up close," Hansard said.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
When I’m ready to freshen up my fridge, I tend to work up a loose step ladder depending on my energy and the kind of week I’m having.
From Salon ● Mar. 9, 2026
“A helluva road to be driving at night, isn’t it? I do it every night. I work up in Pullman and live down there—” He pointed to the lights of Lewiston and the black river.
From "Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech
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.
