To increase gradually over time to a large or significant amount.
Get bigger and bigger over time, especially when you're not paying attention.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To increase gradually and steadily, especially to an amount that becomes difficult to ignore or manage.
"If you don't deal with your emails every day, they really start to mount up."
The debts were mounting up and he had no way to pay them.
— Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, 1850
(Literal) To climb onto a horse or other animal in preparation for riding.
"She mounted up and galloped across the field before anyone could stop her."
To move upward onto something — literally climbing onto a horse or raised surface.
Get bigger and bigger over time, especially when you're not paying attention.
Very commonly used for debts, costs, pressure, tension, and problems. Usually carries a sense of concern — things are mounting up in a way that will soon be hard to manage. Also has a literal sense of climbing onto a horse.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "mount up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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