warmer-upper

English

Etymology

From the phrase warm up with -er applied.

Noun

warmer-upper (plural warmer-uppers)

1. An act of warming up (preparing for an activity).
   • 1943, FM 35–20: War Department: W. .A. .C. Field Manual: Physical Training, Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, page 28:

     The cadence exercises which follow are “warmer-uppers.” They are especially planned to prime your heart, muscles, and circulatory system for a step-up in activity. Gradually, easily, they get your body set for the big job ahead.

   • 1962, Paul Runyan, Paul Runyan’s Book for Senior Golfers:

     Such clubs, or the specially weighted head covers placed on conventional clubs, certainly have a useful function; they are primarily warmer-uppers, or the golf version of the two or three bats a baseball player uses just before he steps into the batting box.

   • 1963 May 10, Life, volume 54, number 19, page 17:

     Organized Hostelers using lightweight geared bikes regularly take off in small groups with a leader, for jaunts ranging from one-day “warmer-uppers” scheduled by 23 local A.Y.H. councils to well-warmed journeys of anything from one week to seven.

   • 2002, Julius E. Eitington, The Winning Trainer: Winning Ways to Involve People in Learning, 4th edition, Butterworth-Heinemann, →ISBN, page 3:

     Program content will determine what icebreakers or openers will be used; for example, in a free-wheeling, experiential management development program in a cultural island setting, novel warmer-uppers would be quite appropriate.

2. A drink that warms one up.
   • 1968 January 12, Ruth Ellen Church, “Warmer-Uppers to Combat Bitter Weather”, in Chicago Tribune, 121st year, number 12, section 2, page 2:

     I seldom drink brandy as brandy, but I have two favorite warmer-uppers for bitter weather, and was making them both for guests last week when school vacation sehedules^[sic] permitted us a few extra days in the country.

   • 2003, Meg Waite Clayton, chapter 36, in The Language of Light, Ballantine Books, published 2011, page 268:

     Everyone was drinking warmer-uppers when we arrived—it was a cash bar, a big moneymaker, with quality liquors, Chivas and Crown Royal, though the wine was served from jugs and the beer was Bud.

   • 2005, Robert Strybel, Maria Strybel, “Beverages Hot & Cold”, in Polish Heritage Cookery, expanded and illustrated edition, New York, N.Y.: Hippocrene Books, →ISBN, page 712:

     This and other hot beer drinks are not only great cold-weather warmer-uppers, but they give you a nicer glow than a similar amount of cold beer.

3. A worn item that warms one up.
   • 1944 November 20, Life, volume 17, number 21, page 21:

     Warmer-Uppers for Nippy Nights—UNIVERSAL Pajamas […] UNIVERSAL Pajamas are real “warmer-uppers” that make ideal gifts.

   • 1948, Collier’s, page 62:

     By night you’ll slumber like lumber in your B.V.D. ski or Down’s pajamas. […] Play it cozy … laugh at the cold weather that’s ahead … see your B.V.D. dealer for those wonderful “warmer-uppers” today!

   • 1950, Department Store Economist, page 13:

     “Warmer-Uppers” – pretty jackets

   • 1974 summer, Backpacker, volume 2, number 2, page 9:

     These take only a few inches of space in your pack or suitcase, but are the world’s greatest little warmer-uppers for chilly feet.