ante up

• IPA^(key): /ˈæntiː ʌp/

ante up (third-person singular simple present antes up, present participle anteing up, simple past and past participle anted up)

1. To contribute one's share of a payment; to provide funds; to pay what is due.
   • 1916 January, The Electrical Experimenter, New York, page 472, column 2:

     "Ugh! An inventor, eh?" "Nix! He's not an inventor himself, but he antes-up for 'em."

   • 1975, Peter Benchley, Carl Gottlieb, Jaws, spoken by Quint (Robert Shaw):

     I'll find him for three, but I'll catch him, and kill him, for ten. But you've gotta make up your minds. If you want to stay alive, then ante up. If you want to play it cheap, be on welfare the whole winter.

2. To pay a fee necessary to play a game, typically a card game.

• ante-upping

• up the ante
• pony up

• pea-nut, peanut, untape