TUNE-UP Definition & Meaning

View synonyms for

tune-up

[ toon-uhp, tyoon- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

an adjustment, as of a motor, to improve working order or condition:
The car needs a tune-up badly.
Informal. a preparatory activity or warm-up, as before a contest or game:
The track meet served as a tune-up for the Olympics.

tune up

to adjust (a musical instrument) to a particular pitch, esp a standard one
(esp of an orchestra or other instrumental ensemble) to tune (instruments) to a common pitch
tr to adjust (an engine) in (a car, etc) to improve performance

Discover More

Origin of tune-up¹

First recorded in 1945–50; noun use of verb phrase tune up

Discover More

Adjust machinery so it is in proper condition, as in I took the car in to be tuned up . [Early 1900s]

Discover More

Examples have not been reviewed.

For the Americans vying for a spot on the Olympic team, it served as key tune-up.

From

After you’ve got a few growing seasons under your belt, a “tune-up” might help keep your garden skills sharp.

From

Butler also attends “tune-up” workouts, as Scott says, during the season on top of his weight training and team practices.

From

The Winter Cup is the first major tune-up for American gymnasts hoping to make this summer’s Olympic team.

From

In tune-up tournaments, Gauff successfully defended her title in Auckland, New Zealand, last weekend and Sabalenka reached the final in Brisbane.

From

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Browse