upgrade

noun

1. An upward grade or slope.

   “The Worthens sighed with relief as the engine began its night of upgrade chugging.”

2. An improved component or replacement item, usually applied to technology.

   “Near-synonym: option”

   “With my phone company, I get a free upgrade every twelve months if I keep topping up 10 pounds a month.”

   “The three dots next to each gadget show how many upgrades have been purchased.”

3. An improvement.

   “The remarried couples among my friends often joke that their divorce and remarriage amounted to an upgrade.”

   “"When we're finished in 2024, this upgrade programme will provide a much-improved railway between London Waterloo and Portsmouth," said NR's Wessex Route Director Mark Killick.”

verb

1. (transitive)To improve, usually applied to technology, generally by complete replacement of one or more components.

   “When you upgrade your standard of living, you become addicted to that standard of living.”

2. (transitive)To replace with something better.

   “I had to upgrade my anti-virus software to protect my computer from the newer threats.”

3. (transitive)To improve the equipment or furnishings of or services rendered to.

   “They upgraded him to the latest model.”

   “They were upgraded to first class.”

   “From the builder's standpoint, the name of the game is to upgrade you to the maximum you can qualify for.”

   “Calls at Cardiff Parkway are proposed once this station opens, with investment promised to upgrade station facilities at Severn Tunnel Junction.”

   “Several level crossings would have to be upgraded, with the existing track re-laid to allow a line speed of 60mph.”

4. (intransitive)To improve in condition or status.

   “She upgraded to a more successful husband.”

5. (intransitive, transitive)To replace a program with a later version of itself, a version having a higher version number or marketed under a more recent product name.

   “She waited a long time to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11, hoping the worst bugs would be worked out before she took the plunge.”

   “She waited a long time to upgrade Windows, hoping the worst bugs would be worked out before she took the plunge.”

adv

1. (not-comparable, usually)Up a slope or grade.

   “Men fell out, worn-out, and there were sunstroke cases. It was an eight-mile march upgrade.”

   “Northbound trains originating near the Ohio River faced a 26-mile climb upgrade to Flushing.”

   “From there it was an eight-mile pull upgrade to the mountain top.”

   “I did that and saw we had to go upgrade a long ways.”

   “[...] 37905 hauls the 1,400-tonne 0730 Mossend-Margam upgrade from Shrewsbury, mainly at 1-in-100, through Church Stretton at around 25mph on May 13 1989.”