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Glite Dictionary
to squad up

to squad up

1 8.9
To form a small team to play together in an online game
  • phrasal verb
  • Jargon
translation icon : formar un equipo
  • During the tournament, we need to squad up to increase our chances of winning.

Examples

  • Bill, when we set this squad up, we answered to nobody but you.

    Mulholland Falls (1996)

  • Before the match starts, let's squad up and discuss our strategy.

  • All right, y'all better squad up, cause here comes the...

    Spies in Disguise (2019)

  • Next year, I may wait to open the library to full classes until after the first week so that I have adequate time to set my Hero Squad up for success.

    Academic text (2013)

  • The players were excited to squad up for the new game mode together.

Synonyms

to team up
vsto squad up
95 2.5

Join with other people or groups to work together on a goal

is informal and for small coordinated groups often in online gaming

Antonyms

to disband
43 4.3

To stop being a group, for example a band or committee

to fly solo
  • Informal
14 4.8

To act or work alone without help from others

How Organized

to squad up
  • Jargon
1 8.9
to team up
95 2.5
to pair off
10 3.7
to join
∞ 1.0
to tag along
  • Informal
59 3.7

Surface Forms

squad up infinitive
squadded up past
squadded up past participle
squadding up present participle
squads up third person singular

Morphology

squad + up

The headword 'squad' (a small team) plus the particle 'up' fits a common English pattern (cf. 'team up', 'pair up') where 'X up' means to form or join a group, so the overall meaning is motivated by the constituents. However, 'up' has multiple senses and this is an informal phrasal-verb usage that a B1 learner may not reliably infer without exposure, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Squad up comes from the image of a small team: squad means a small group and up shows getting together or getting ready. So when players 'squad up' they 'form or join a small group' to play and work together on a task.