tune up

Verb

tune up (third-person singular simple present tunes up, present participle tuning up, simple past and past participle tuned up)

1. (transitive) To make adjustments (to an engine or bicycle drivetrain) in order to improve its performance.

   Synonyms:

   soup up

2. (intransitive) To make preparations for vigorous exercise; to warm up.
3. (intransitive) To begin to sing or play music.
4. (intransitive) To tune one's instrument in preparation for performance.
   • By this time the theatre had practically filled and the orchestra was tuning up for the overture.1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC
5. (US, idiomatic, transitive) To beat up (someone).
   • “We finally stopped roustin' him and decided to tune him up instead, every chance we got.”
     “Tune him up?”
     “Yeah, that's an expression for beatin' the living dog shit outta somebody.”2007, Michael Berish, Reflections from the Pit, →ISBN
   • “I mean, I had to tune her up a bit. She bitched a lot and never did any work. Sometimes, you know, you just gotta get their attention, whack 'em a little."2015, Joe Peters, Bill Fleming, Code Black, →ISBN, page 264