work up to
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To reach by gradual effort or developments.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Đạt được thông qua nỗ lực hoặc phát triển dần dần
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Her boyfriend worked up to a marriage proposal.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “work up to” mean?
To reach by gradual effort or developments.
Is “work up to” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.