work up phrasal verb ( see also ↑ work )
1 . work up enthusiasm/interest/courage etc to make yourself feel interested, brave etc:
I’m trying to work up enough courage to go to the dentist.
2 . work up an appetite/a thirst/a sweat to make yourself hungry or ↑ thirsty , or make yourself ↑ sweat , especially by doing physical exercise:
You can work up a really big thirst playing tennis.
3 . work somebody up to make someone very angry, excited, or upset about something
work yourself up
You’re working yourself up again.
She had worked herself up into a state.
⇨ ↑ worked up
4 . work something ↔ up to develop and improve something such as a project or a piece of writing:
Jack took notes which he would work up into a report later.