Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To raise or increase something, especially a price or cost, often sharply or unexpectedly: This meaning focuses on causing something to become higher, typically in a financial or quantitative sense.
   • To pull or lift something, especially clothing, upwards with a quick, often jerky motion: This meaning describes a physical action of adjusting an item of clothing to a higher position.

Usage Examples

• Verb (increase):

  • The company decided to hike up the price of its software subscription.
  • They hiked up the admission fees for the concert at the last minute.

• Verb (pull up):

  • He had to hike up his trousers after wading through the stream.
  • She hiked up her skirt to avoid getting it muddy.

Advanced Usage

• "hike up" (in economics/business): Often used to describe sudden, significant increases imposed by an authority or market force.

  • The new tax policy is expected to hike up production costs for manufacturers.

• "hike up" (in informal contexts): Can imply a degree of effort or a quick adjustment.

  • He hiked up the backpack onto his shoulders and began the trail.

Variants and Related Words

• Hike (verb/noun): A long walk, especially in the countryside; to go on such a walk. Also used informally to mean an increase (e.g., ).
• Hitch up (phrasal verb): Very similar to the "pull up" meaning of , meaning to pull something, especially clothing, into a higher position.

Synonyms

• Increase, raise, boost, jack up (informal): For the "increase" meaning.
• Pull up, hitch up, hoist, yank up: For the "pull up" meaning.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Hike up does not commonly break down into further phrasal verb constructions. It is itself a phrasal verb with the two distinct meanings outlined above.

Related Idioms

• No specific idioms are commonly formed with . The phrasal verb is used in its literal and figurative senses as described.

Verb

1. increase
   • The landlord hiked up the rents
2. pull up
   • He hitched up his socks and pants