pick up steam
Related to pick up steam: stick with, Off the Top of My Head, off chance, run out of steam
pick up steam
To gradually grow in strength, momentum, power, influence, etc. Though few believed that the independence campaign would have a chance of succeeding, lately it's been picking up steam. They've been sluggish in the first half, but the team has finally started picking up steam.
See also: pick, steam, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
pick up steam
If a process or activity picks up steam, it starts to become stronger, faster, or more active. Note: The following expressions refer to the use of steam to provide power for a machine, especially a steam engine. Hopefully, the economy will pick up steam next year. Just as the presidential campaign was picking up steam, riots exploded in Los Angeles.
See also: pick, steam, up
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
ˌget up/ˌpick up ˈsteam
1 gradually increase speed: As the train came out of the tunnel, it picked up steam.
2 (informal) gradually get bigger, more active or popular: The election campaign is getting up steam now; it is only two weeks to election day. I’m trying to get up enough steam to finish writing this book, but it’s not easy.
See also: get, pick, steam, up
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
- soldier on
- lost cause
- lost cause, a
- a lost cause
- castles in the air
- build castles in Spain
- build castles in the air
- build castles in the sky
- Spain
- whistle in the wind