beef up

English

Etymology

Originally college slang, from beef (“muscle-power”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

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Verb

beef up (third-person singular simple present beefs up, present participle beefing up, simple past and past participle beefed up)

1. (slang, transitive) To strengthen or reinforce; to add substance to. [1941]

   We need to beef up security around the airport.

Related terms

• beef
• beefed out
• beefed up
• beef out
• beefy

 

Translations

to strengthen or reinforce — see strengthen