pickup, helpline, rev up, upswing, lifeline

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  Todd Heisler/The New York Times

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  Todd Heisler/The New York Times

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  Todd Heisler/The New York Times

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  Todd Heisler/The New York Times

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  Todd Heisler/The New York Times

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  Todd Heisler/The New York Times

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  Todd Heisler/The New York Times

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  Pickup games generally take place on mornings and evenings.

Exploring New York Through Basketball

By ISAAC EGER

The city’s pickup basketball courts are one way to get a feel for New York, if you don’t mind waiting your turn. 

GM Buying 7% Stake in France's Peugeot

General Motors plans to extend a $335 million lifeline to struggling French auto maker PSA Peugeot Citroën as part of a tie-up that each hopes will aid turnarounds at their struggling European car operations.

At Last! Banks Rev Up Lending

U.S. banks increased lending by $130 billion in the last three months of 2011, posting the largest quarterly pickup in four years and marking a possible upswing in the economic rebound.

Earlier this year, Flyglobespan, which was set up in 2002, announced it had made an operating profit of £1.2m following a loss of £19m the previous year.
However, earlier this year, it pulled its services out of the Durham Tees Valley airport, blaming the worsening economic climate.
A helpline for passengers will be operational from 1000 GMT - 0871 271 9000.

A helpline was originally a telephone service which offers help to those that call. Many helpline services now offer more than telephone support - offering access to information, advice or customer service via telephone, email, web or SMS.

úpswìng[úp・swìng]

[名]

1 （振り子などの）上揺れ, 上向きの振り.

2 著しい増加［向上, 上昇, 発展］

an upswing in student enrollment
学生数の著しい上昇

on the upswing
（商売などが）大きく上向いて.

━━[動] 〔〕 （-swung）(自)上に揺れる；著しく増加［向上, 上昇, 発展］する；上向く.


 (pĭk'ŭp')
n.

1. 1. The act or process of picking up: the pickup and delivery of farm produce.
   2. Sports. The act of striking or fielding a ball after it has touched the ground: a good pickup and throw from third base.
   3. Capacity for acceleration: a sports car with good pickup.
   4. Informal. An improvement in condition or activity: a pickup in sales.
   5. Slang. An arrest by a law enforcement officer.
2. One that is picked up, especially:
   1. Passengers or freight: Taxi drivers expect good tips from airport pickups.
   2. Informal. A hitchhiker.
   3. Slang. A stranger with whom casual acquaintance is made, usually in anticipation of sexual relations.
3. Accounting. A balance brought forward.
4. Previous journalistic copy to which succeeding copy is added.
5. Music. See upbeat (sense 1).
6. One that picks up, especially:
   1. A pickup truck.
   2. The rotary rake on a piece of machinery, such as a harvester, that picks up windrowed hay or straw.
7. Electronics.
   1. A device that converts the oscillations of a phonograph needle into electrical impulses for subsequent conversion into sound.
   2. The tone arm of a record player.
8. 1. The reception of light or sound waves for conversion to electrical impulses.
   2. The apparatus used for such reception.
   3. A telecast originating outside a studio.
   4. The apparatus for transmitting a broadcast from an outside place to the broadcasting station.

adj.
Being, relating to, or involving a group of people assembled informally for a temporary purpose: a pickup orchestra; a pickup baseball game.