-
enlarge, develop, or increase by degrees or in stages;
"build up your savings"
-
form or accumulate steadily;
"Resistance to the manager's plan built up quickly"
"Pressure is building up at the Indian-Pakistani border"
-
prepare oneself for a military confrontation;
"The U.S. is girding for a conflict in the Middle East"
"troops are building up on the Iraqi border"
-
bolster or strengthen;
"We worked up courage"
"build up confidence"
"ramp up security in the airports"
-
change the use of and make available or usable;
"develop land"
"The country developed its natural resources"
"The remote areas of the country were gradually built up"