Key up Meaning in English
expression
ˈki/ /ˈəp
KEE-up
kˈiː/ /ˈʌp
KEE-up
Definition
To make someone nervous, excited, or tense, usually before an important event or when expecting something to happen.
Usage & Nuances
'Key up' is informal and often used in American English. Common with 'get' or 'feel' (e.g., 'get keyed up'). Used about positive excitement and nervous anxiety. Not used for anger. Similar to 'hyped up' (for excitement) or 'nervous' (for anxiety), but 'key up' often mixes both feelings.
Spanish: poner nervioso - excitarPortuguese (BR): deixar ansioso - deixar nervosoPortuguese (PT): deixar ansioso - deixar nervosoChinese (Simplified): 使紧张 - 使激动Chinese (Traditional): 使緊張 - 使興奮Hindi: चिंतित करना - उत्साहित करनाArabic: يُوتِر - يُحمِّسBengali: উত্তেজিত করা - নার্ভাস করাRussian: возбуждать - нервироватьJapanese: 緊張させる - 興奮させるVietnamese: làm căng thẳng - làm phấn khíchKorean: 긴장시키다 - 들뜨게 하다Turkish: heyecanlandırmak - gergin yapmakUrdu: پریشان کرنا - جوش میں لاناIndonesian: membuat gugup - membuat bersemangat
Example Sentences
I always key up before exams.
basic
She was keyed up before her big performance.
basic
Don’t key up the kids before bedtime.
basic
He gets really keyed up whenever he has to give a speech.
natural
Try not to key yourself up before the interview.
natural
Everyone was keyed up with excitement for the big game.
natural