■ noun
1》 a sloping surface joining two different levels.
↘a movable set of steps for entering or leaving an aircraft.
↘ N. Amer. an inclined slip road leading to or from a main road or motorway.
2》 Brit. a transverse ridge in a road to control the speed of vehicles.
3》 an upward bend in a stair rail.
4》 an electrical waveform in which the voltage increases or decreases linearly with time.
5》 Brit. informal a swindle involving a fraudulent increase of the price of a share.
■ verb
1》 provide with a ~.
2》 Brit. drive up the price of (a company's shares) in order to gain a financial advantage.
↘(often ~ something up ) increase the level or amount of (something) sharply.
3》 (of an electrical waveform) increase or decrease in voltage linearly with time.
4》 archaic (of an animal) rear up on its hind legs.
↘rush about violently.
5》 chiefly dialect (of a plant) grow or climb luxuriantly.
Origin
ME (as v. in the sense 'rear up': from OFr. ~er 'creep, crawl', of unknown origin.