pumping up

Verb

pump up (third-person singular simple present pumps up, present participle pumping up, simple past and past participle pumped up)

1. (transitive) To inflate by means of a pump.

   Synonyms:

   air up

   1. (transitive) To do so with a pumping action.
      • For someone who is in shape, it is not difficult to pump up a car tire with a bicycle pump; it is merely tedious. But you can get the job done if you need it bad enough.
2. (figuratively, transitive) To excite a person or group to a frenzy.
   • The singer has been pumping up the audience.
3. (intransitive, transitive) To cause one's muscles to swell by means of focused weightlifting.
   • I want to pump you up.
4. (transitive) To cause (something) to increase in intensity, salience or other traits beyond what is reasonable.
   • You have to pump up the relatability of the characters in your screenplay.
5. (transitive) To increase the volume of (something).
   • pump up the jam