step up phrasal verb ( see also ↑ step )
1 . step something ↔ up to increase the amount of an activity or the speed of a process in order to improve a situation:
The health department is stepping up efforts to reduce teenage smoking.
stepped-up security at airports
2 . ( also step up to the plate ) especially American English to agree to help someone or to be responsible for doing something:
Residents will have to step up if they want to rid this area of crime.