step up

step up(

)

A transitive verb phrase is a phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and requires a direct object (e.g. Take out the trash.).

transitive verb phrase

1. (to increase)

a. aumentar

The manufacturing company has stepped up its production by three percent in the past year.La compañía industrial ha aumentado su producción por un tres por ciento en el último año.

b. intensificar

The government has stepped up its campaign against drunk driving.El gobierno ha intensificado su campaña contra la conducción en estado de embriaguez.

c. redoblar

The city police have stepped up their enforcement of the noise restrictions in the downtown area.La policía municipal ha redoblado la aplicación de las normativas de ruido en la zona del centro.

2. (to improve; used with "it")

a. ponerse las pilas

You've turned your last three assignments in late; if you don't step it up, you're going to fail the class.Has entregado las últimas tres tareas tarde; como no te pones las pilas, vas a reprobar la clase.

b. espabilarse

The novelist knew she needed to step it up if she was going to finish the book in time.La novelista sabía que tenía que espabilarse si era que iba a terminar el libro a tiempo.

An intransitive verb phrase is a phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and does not require a direct object (e.g. Everybody please stand up.).

intransitive verb phrase

3. (to confront something directly)

a. dar la cara

It's high time you step up and take responsibility for your actions.Ya es hora de que des la cara y que asumas la responsabilidad de tus acciones.

4. (to approach; used with "to")

a. acercarse a

Diana stepped up to the box office and said, "Two tickets for the matinee, please."Diana se acercó a la taquilla y dijo, "dos boletos para la función de tarde, por favor".

A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling or idea (e.g. man, dog, house).

noun

5. (improvement)

a. el paso adelante

(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(M)

After the studio apartment that my wife and I were living in, the penthouse was quite a step up.Tras el estudio donde vivíamos mi esposa y yo, el penthouse fue un gran paso adelante.

b. el ascenso

(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).

(M)

(career)

Getting hired at the big law firm was a step up for Susan's career.Ser contratada por el gran bufete de abogados fue un ascenso para la carrera de Susan.

step up

A transitive verb phrase is a phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or other particle and requires a direct object (e.g. Take out the trash.).

transitive verb phrase

1. (production, pace)

a. aumentar

step up

verb:intransitive:plus_adverb

to step up to sth/sb acercarse a algo/algn

he stepped up to his son and put his arms awkwardly around his shoulders he stepped up to the lectern

transitive verb

1 (increase) [+production, sales] aumentar; [+campaign] intensificar; [+attacks, attempts, efforts] intensificar; redoblar

the response of the government has been to step up its attacks on guerrilla encampments Major also stepped up his attacks on Labor leader Neil Kinnock the Shining Path has stepped up attacks on the capital, Lima we need to step up production urgently they're stepping up their campaign to expose hypocrisy in the church as dusk fell the police stepped up their efforts to find the children efforts have been stepped up to tow the vessel into port

2 (Electricity and Electronics) [+current] aumentar

if you want to step up your voltage, it's quite simple

Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Examples