step up

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(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

step up (third-person singular simple present steps up, present participle stepping up, simple past and past participle stepped up)

1. (transitive, idiomatic) To increase, augment, or advance, especially by one or more steps.

   Coordinate terms: upgrade; ramp up

   Near-synonym: level up

   They will need to step up production if they are going to compete.

   Step up your shower game!

   • 1976 November 5 , “The 'Gang of Four' Sabotaged the Campaign to Learn From Tachai in Agriculture in a Vain Attempt to Restore Capitalism”, in Daily Report: People's Republic of China‎, volume I, number 215, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, sourced from Taiyuan Shansi Provincial Service, translation of original by Taning County CCP Committee (in Mandarin), →ISSN, →OCLC, page K 4‎:

     As in the whole country, cadres and poor and lower-middle peasants in our Taning County, inspired by the spirit of the National Conference on Learning From Tachai in Agriculture, were greatly stimulated and high in spirits and resolved to fight hard in the movement of learning from Tachai in agriculture and building Tachai-type counties everywhere.
     In the face of the excellent situation, the anti-party clique of the "gang of four,"--Wang, Chang, Chiang and Yao--stepped up their antiparty activities and strengthend their attacks on the party.

   • 2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport‎:

     United were made to pay for letting an eight-point lead as little as five weeks ago slip and, despite their final-day efforts, they will look back on a season where, when they needed to step up, they fell flat.

• → Swedish: steppa upp

Ellipsis of step up to the plate (“take one's turn at bat, take responsibility”).

step up (third-person singular simple present steps up, present participle stepping up, simple past and past participle stepped up)

1. (intransitive, idiomatic) To assume or take responsibility.

   Synonyms: volunteer, offer

   Antonyms: step aside, step down

   Won't anyone step up to the challenge?

   • 2011 January 8, Chris Bevan, “Arsenal 1 - 1 Leeds”, in BBC‎:

     The Gunners continued to press after the break but it was Leeds who broke the deadlock in the 54th minute. There was no doubt about the penalty either, with Denilson clumsily fouling Gradel and Snodgrass stepping up to find the bottom corner of the net.

• uppest, upstep