fatten up

Definitions

1. To cause to gain weight by means of feeding.
   transitive
2. To become fat or fatter by gaining weight.
   intransitive
3. To make bigger; to expand.
   figuratively, transitive

Equivalents

Examples

“My cat looks underweight, so I'll fatten him up with higher-calorie cat food.”

“I visited my mother for a month, and she managed to fatten me up 20 pounds.”

“‘And isn’t Declan looking very thin?’ Madge said. ‘He’ll never get⟳ a wife if he doesn’t fatten up a bit.’”

“We must not fatten up our payroll with people performing nonessential activities.”

CEFR level