warm up

warm up
    v 1: run until the normal working temperature is reached; "We
         warmed up the car for a few minutes"
    2: become more friendly or open; "She warmed up after we had
       lunch together"
    3: get warm or warmer; "The soup warmed slowly on the stove"
       [syn: {warm}, {warm up}]
    4: cause to do preliminary exercises so as to stretch the
       muscles; "The coach warmed up the players before the game"
    5: make one's body limber or suppler by stretching, as if to
       prepare for strenuous physical activity [syn: {limber up},
       {warm up}, {loosen up}]
    

105 Moby Thesaurus words for "warm up":
      arrangement, basic training, break in, briefing, bring back,
      bring to, call back, chafe, charge, clearing the decks, cock, cook,
      electric-heat, equipment, familiarization, fire, fire up, fixing,
      foment, foundation, gas-heat, get going, get in there, get off,
      get ready, get set, get squared away, get under way, get up steam,
      groundwork, heat, hot, hot up, hot-air-heat, hot-water-heat,
      limber up, load, make a beginning, make a move, makeready,
      making ready, manufacture, mobilization, mull, overheat, planning,
      prearrangement, preheat, preliminaries, preliminary,
      preliminary act, preliminary step, prep, preparation,
      preparatory study, preparing, prepping, prerequisite, pretreatment,
      prime, processing, propaedeutic, provision, readying, reanimate,
      recall to life, recharge, recook, recruit, refresh, regenerate,
      reheat, reheat the ashes, reinspire, rejuvenate, rekindle, relight,
      renew, resurrect, resuscitate, revitalize, revive, revivify,
      rewarm, set, set a course, shoulder arms, spadework, start up,
      steam, steam up, stir the embers, stoke up, strip for action,
      superheat, tepefy, training, treatment, trial, tryout, warm,
      warm over, whet the knife, wind, wind up