1 B1 informal
To fill a vehicle's fuel tank completely before a journey.
"We should tank up before we head into the desert — there are no petrol stations for 200 miles."
inseparable
tank up
B2 informal inseparable intransitive
To fill a vehicle's fuel tank completely, or (informal) to drink a large amount of alcohol.
In plain English
To fill your car with petrol/gas until the tank is full, or to drink a lot.
What does "tank up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
(Informal) To drink a large amount of alcohol.
"They tanked up at the pub before heading to the concert."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To fill a tank up to the top.
Actually means
To fill your car with petrol/gas until the tank is full, or to drink a lot.
Usage tip
The fuel sense is common and practical. The drinking sense is informal and can have a negative connotation. Both senses are common in AmE and BrE. 'Tank up before a long drive' is a natural usage.
Words that pair with "tank up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
fuel petrol gas beer before journey
How to conjugate "tank up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
tank up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
tanks up
he/she/it
Past simple
tanked up
yesterday
Past participle
tanked up
have + pp
-ing form
tanking up
continuous
Hear "tank up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "tank up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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