- [美国英语]逐渐上升，向上爬[亦作 work one's way up]：
The young man works his way up to the top.
那个年轻人努力使自己逐步晋升到最高职位。
- 创作；制订；使发展：
I think you can work up the story well.
我想你能把故事组织得很好。
- 逐步发展；发挥；精心作成：
His father worked up a department store.
他父亲精心兴办了一家百货店。
- 学到(知识)；提高(技能)：
The boy worked up his notes for the test.
男孩认真做好笔记以备考试。
- 鼓动，激起，唤起；使激动：
I worked myself up to accept the challenge.
我鼓起勇气接受挑战。
- 检查(病人)：
to work up a patient
给病人做检查
- 增加，加强；提高效率，增强效能：
The orchestra was working up to a crescendo.
交响乐团即将演奏到音量渐强的一节。
- [俚语]由于剧烈活动引起(出汗等)：
The old woman worked up a sweat in the garden.
老妇人在花园里干活干得出汗了。
- 用完，用光(原料等)：
All the paper you carried to the workshop has been worked up.
你们搬进车间里的纸都用光了。
- 依靠努力、勤奋等逐步建立起来(事业等)；逐步建立，努力完成：
They worked up this business from nothing.
他们白手起家创建了这项事业。
- 钻研，彻底研究，彻底调查
- 【印刷】(空铅、铅条等)升到印刷面上
- 【航海学】(使)从事讨厌(或多余)的任务