lead up tosomething
phrasal verbwithleadverbuk/liːd/us/liːd/led|leduk/led/us/led/
(HAPPEN)
C2
If aperiodoftimeorseriesofeventsleadsup to aneventoractivity, ithappensuntil thateventoractivitybegins:
Thepilothad norecollectionof theeventsleadingup to thecrash.
- I was veryanxiousin thetimeleadingup to theevent.
- Themomentsleadingup to theaccidentare veryconfusedin mymind.
- Whatexactlyledup to hisresignation?
- Theydocumentedall theeventsleadingup to themassacre.
- I wasillin theperiodleadingup to theelection.
Preceding and introducing
- announce
- antedate
- beat
- build(someone/something)up
- countdown
- curtain-raiser
- emcee
- forerunner
- introduce
- introduction
- introductory
- lead
- lead-in
- open the door tosomethingidiom
- preface
- preliminary
- prelude
- reintroduce
- review
- runsomethingup
(TALK)
topreparetotalkabout something bygraduallymentioningthesubjectyouwanttotalkabout:
Hestartedtellingme about awonderfulnewrestauranthe'd been to and Iwonderedwhat he wasleadingup to.
Preparing
- batten
- batten down the hatchesidiom
- breaksomeonein
- bug-out bag
- build(someone/something)up
- dig
- gear(someone/something)up
- gearsomethingto/towardssomeone/something
- get/have your ducks in a rowidiom
- gird
- girdyourselfidiom
- lay
- prep
- preparation
- prime
- roll upyoursleevesidiom
- setsomethingup
- set the scene/stageidiom
- suit
- tune