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add up = accumulate, gather little by little and gradually become a lot
examples:
- Mary washes cars, cleans houses, irons people’s clothes for money, babysits. With all these kinds of work money adds up and it is almost a regular salary.
- Money can’ t add up if you keep spending all the time.
- Since my mother moved in with us, I ‘m afraid our problems have added up.
- If you save some euros every week you ‘ll see how quickly it adds up and you ‘ll be able to buy that motorcycle.
- He spends a lot on food, a lot on his amusement, a lot on drinks. By the end of the month when he receives bills too all expenses add up and he is left broke.
- First, he was rude to me. Then he started making fun of me in front of others. Sometimes he teased me for my accent. It all adds up and now I don ‘t want to see him anymore.
set up = build, put something in a place
examples:
- After the accident the police set up roadblocks on the road.
- They should have set up a STOP sign here. It ‘s really dangerous.
- The government set up tents for the people who were left homeless after the earthquake.
- The Town Hall set up a medical unit near the block of flats that had caught fire.
- When we reached the top of the mountain we set up a flag.
- They set up a new branch of these clothes stores in our city.
- Could you please set up your videocameras over there? You ‘re blocking the light here.
- We set an iron fence up all around the garden.
