WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
noun.
a substantial increase over a relatively short period of time
Word Usage
"On the morning of Saturday, December 2, Rivera and a relative, who knew even less about DC-7s than he did, took the plane out for what was called a runup, meaning they would taxi around the airstrip, warming up the engines, but not try to fly it."