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rev

Pronunciation: /rɛv/

informal
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Definition of rev

noun

(usually revs)
  • a revolution of an engine per minute:an engine speed of 1,750 revs
  • an act of increasing the speed of revolution of a vehicle’s engine by pressing the accelerator: she started it up with a violent rev of the engine

verb (revs, revving, revved)

[with object]
  • increase the running speed of (an engine) or the engine speed of (a vehicle) by pressing the accelerator, especially while the clutch is disengaged:he revved up the engine and drove off
  • [no object] (of an engine) operate with increasing speed when the accelerator is pressed, especially while the clutch is disengaged:he could hear the sound of an engine revving nearby
  • make or become more active or energetic: [no object]:he’s revving up for next week’s World Cup game [with object]:we need to rev up the economy

Origin:

early 20th century: abbreviation of revolution

rev in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of rev in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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