trade friction, kill switch, off, step up, a stepped-up

Washington Post
BEIJING — Chinese and US defense officials met in Beijing on Wednesday to talk about reducing the risk of confrontation after recent friction over arms sales to Taiwan and a stepped-up American military presence on China's edges. ...

A cyber-attack is wreaking havoc around the world – but a British man has halted its spread by registering a web domain for $10.69.

'Accidental hero' finds kill switch to stop spread of ransomware cyber-attack

Spread of malware curtailed by expert who simply registered a domain…

THEGUARDIAN.COM

Poland tightens borders in search for stolen Auschwitz concentration camp
sign

Authorities have said finding the stolen sign is an "absolute priority" for
the police, who are stepping up border security in their efforts to catch
the thieves.

The DW-WORLD Article
http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=ew333jI44va89pIc

Nikkei Asian Review

2 小時 · 

After declining Tokyo's requests to resume the economic dialogue for years, it was now the Chinese who were pressing to hold the talks at the earliest possible date.
As the trade fiction (sic) with the U.S. intensifies, the tides have turned.

Behind China's sudden olive branch to Japan

Beijing's about-face is preparation for trade war with Trump

ASIA.NIKKEI.COM

Kill switch - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kill_switch

A kill switch, also known as an emergency stop (e-stop) or emergency power off (EPO), is a safety mechanism used to shut off a device or machinery in an ...

Powered‎: ‎Some are mechanical and others are ...

Classification‎: ‎Mechanical component

Industry‎: ‎Automotive, boating, energy, enginee...

Idioms: step up

1. Increase, especially in stages, as in We've got to step up production. [Early 1900s] Also see step down, def. 2.
2. Come forward, as in Step up to the podium, folks, and I'll show you how it works. [Mid-1600s]


*****
off
adv.

1. From a place or position: drove off.
2. 1. At a certain distance in space or time: a mile off; a week off.
   2. From a given course or route; aside: swerved off into a ditch.
   3. Into a state of unconsciousness: I must have dozed off.
3. 1. So as to be no longer on, attached, or connected: shaved off his mustache.
   2. So as to be divided: marked off the playing field by yards.
4. So as to be no longer continuing, operating, or functioning: switched off the radio.
5. So as to be completely removed, finished, or eliminated: kill off the mice.
6. So as to be smaller, fewer, or less: Sales dropped off.
7. So as to be away from work or duty: They took a day off.
8. Offstage.

adj.

1. 1. Distant or removed; farther: the off side of the barn.
   2. Remote; slim: stopped by on the off chance that they're home.
2. Not on, attached, or connected: with my shoes off.
3. Not operating or operational: The oven is off.
4. No longer taking place; canceled: The wedding is off.
5. Slack: Production was off this year.
6. 1. Not up to standard; below a normal or satisfactory level: Your pitching is off today.
   2. Not accurate; incorrect: Your statistical results are off.
   3. Somewhat crazy; eccentric: I think that person is a little off.
7. Started on the way; going: I'm off to see the president.
8. 1. Absent or away from work or duty: She's off every Tuesday.
   2. Spent away from work or duty: My off day is Saturday.
9. 1. Being on the right side of an animal or vehicle.
   2. Being the animal or vehicle on the right.
10. Nautical. Farthest from the shore; seaward.
11. Sports. Toward or designating the side of the field facing the batsman in cricket.
12. Off-color.

prep.

1. So as to be removed or distant from: The bird hopped off the branch.
2. Away or relieved from: off duty.
3. 1. By consuming: living off locusts and honey.
   2. With the means provided by: living off my pension.
   3. Informal. From: “What else do you want off me?” (Jimmy Breslin).
4. Extending or branching out from: an artery off the heart.
5. Not up to the usual standard of: off his game.
6. So as to abstain from: went off narcotics.
7. Nautical. To seaward of: a mile off Sandy Hook.

v., offed, off·ing, offs. v.intr.
To go away; leave: Off or I'll call the police.
v.tr. Slang.
To murder.
idiom:
off and on

1. In an intermittent manner: slept off and on last night.

[Variant of Middle English of, from Old English.]

USAGE NOTE The compound preposition off of is generally regarded as informal and is best avoided in formal speech and writing: He stepped off (not off of) the platform. Off is informal as well when used to indicate a source: formal style requires I borrowed it from (not off) my brother.