From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishwork up to something phrasal verbPREPAREto gradually prepare yourself to do something difficultwork up to doing something He’d been working up to asking her for a date all week. → work→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
work up to • The dieter would start with a fast, then work up to 1,200 calories a day.• You can gradually work up to holding points longer, but do not hold any one point longer than ten minutes.• Try for three sets of eight, or work up to it.work up to doing something• A few of these devices should be exploded every year to test whether the refurbishing is working up to snuff.• But he would, if they refused to work up to their potential.• One retired schoolteacher I know was working up to the age of 70 as a volunteer guide in a local museum.• The dieter would start with a fast, then work up to 1,200 calories a day.• Try for three sets of eight, or work up to it.• You can gradually work up to holding points longer, but do not hold any one point longer than ten minutes. 