Meaning of Idiom ‘Jack Up (Something)’
To jack up something means to raise it or increase it. 1Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.,2Spears, Richard A. McGraw-Hill’s American Idioms Dictionary. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008.
Usage
This idiom can be used in the active or passive sense. Something can be jacked up or one can jack up something. It is most often used to refer to increases in price, fees, etc.
Examples Of Use
“The grocery store jacked up the price of milk.”
“Ever since the war began gasoline prices have been jacked up.”
“News about the upcoming product release jacked up the company’s stock.”
Origin
The literal meaning of jack up is to raise something up, such as a car, on a mechanical lifting device called a ‘jack.’ It has been used figuratively since the 1900’s. 3Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
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