enlarge, develop, or increase by degrees or in stages; "build up your savings"
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"
form or accumulate steadily; "Resistance to the manager's plan built up quickly"; "Pressure is building up at the Indian-Pakistani border"
bolster or strengthen; "We worked up courage"; "build up confidence"; "ramp up security in the airports"
change a pawn for a king by advancing it to the eighth row, or change a checker piece for a more valuable piece by moving it the row closest to your opponent
be changed for a superior chess or checker piece
give a promotion to or assign to a higher position; "John was kicked upstairs when a replacement was hired"; "Women tend not to advance in the major law firms"; "I got promoted after many years of hard work"
contribute to the progress or growth of; "I am promoting the use of computers in the classroom"
(religion) sanctification of something by setting it apart (usually with religious rites) as dedicated to God; "the Cardinal attended the consecration of the church"
a solemn commitment of your life or your time to some cherished purpose (to a service or a goal); "his consecration to study"
a collection of books accepted as holy scripture especially the books of the Bible recognized by any Christian church as genuine and inspired
a complete list of saints that have been recognized by the Roman Catholic Church
a rule or especially body of rules or principles generally established as valid and fundamental in a field or art or philosophy; "the neoclassical canon"; "canons of polite society"
a contrapuntal piece of music in which a melody in one part is imitated exactly in other parts