1 B1 neutral
To do stretching and warm-up exercises to prepare the muscles and joints for physical activity.
"The gymnasts limbered up for thirty minutes before competing."
inseparable
limber up
B1 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To stretch and warm up the body to become more flexible before physical activity; also figuratively to prepare for any challenging task.
In plain English
To do stretching exercises to get your body ready to move, or to get ready for something difficult.
What does "limber up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To prepare mentally or practically for a challenging task or performance.
"The debaters limbered up with a few practice rounds before the final competition."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To make the body limber (flexible and supple) upward through movement.
Actually means
To do stretching exercises to get your body ready to move, or to get ready for something difficult.
Usage tip
Common in sports and exercise contexts. The figurative sense (preparing mentally or professionally) is also well established. Can be transitive ('limber up your fingers') or intransitive ('limber up before the race'). Used across all varieties of English.
Words that pair with "limber up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
muscles fingers legs routine exercise practice race
How to conjugate "limber up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
limber up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
limbers up
he/she/it
Past simple
limbered up
yesterday
Past participle
limbered up
have + pp
-ing form
limbering up
continuous
Hear "limber up" in the wild
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