key up
phr. v.. B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford
phr. v.. to prepare or set up something, especially a keyboard or a document, for use.
phr. v.. to prepare or arrange something, typically a keyboard or a document, for use or operation; often implies a preparatory action before use.
He keyed up the keyboard before the meeting.
The assistant keyed up the presentation slides for the client's review.
Before the launch, the team spent hours keying up the software to ensure everything was ready.
Usage
typically followed by a noun indicating the thing being prepared.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'set up' (more general) and 'prepare' (broader); 'key up' is specific to technical contexts like keyboards or documents.
Pitfall
I key up.I keyed up the document.the verb requires an object to indicate what is being prepared.