Origin of rev

First recorded in 1900–05; short for revolution

Words nearby rev

reused, reuter, reuters, reuther, reutlingen, rev, rev counter, rev up, rev-head, rev., rev. stat.

Words related to rev up

advance, further, hasten, spur, stimulate, expedite, quicken, tool, drive, gun, impel, forward, dust, precipitate, railroad, hurry, roll, rev

British Dictionary definitions for rev up

rev
/ (rɛv) informal /

noun

revolution per minute the engine was doing 5000 revs

verb revs, revving or revved

(often foll by up) to increase the speed of revolution of (an engine)

Idioms and Phrases with rev up

rev up

Increase the speed or rate of, enliven, stimulate, as in Bill revved up the motor, or They looked for ways to rev up the ad campaign. The verb rev is an abbreviation for revolution, alluding to the rate of rotation of an engine. The idiom dates from about 1920 and has been used figuratively since the mid-1900s.