muscle up

To exercise so that your muscles become bigger and stronger.

• He wants to muscle up.
• She muscled up by lifting weights every morning.
• The players are muscling up before the season starts.

How to use it: muscle up for something (He's muscling up for the rugby season.)

Similar words: bulk up, build muscle

Common phrases: muscle up for something, muscle up quickly, muscle up at home

To make someone or something stronger or more powerful.

• The club wants to muscle up its defence.
• They muscled up the engine with new parts.
• Extra funding should help muscle up the rescue service.

How to use it: muscle something up (The new recruits will muscle the team up.)

Similar words: strengthen, beef up, reinforce

Opposites: weaken

Common phrases: muscle up something, muscle up defences, muscle up a team

To use physical strength to push your way into or through a place.

• He muscled up through the crowd.
• Two guards muscled up into the blocked entrance.
• We had to muscle up through the people outside.

How to use it: muscle up through something (He muscled up through the packed crowd.); muscle up into something (She muscled up into the crowded doorway.)

Similar words: push through, force one's way

Common phrases: muscle up through something, muscle up into something