noun / verb
hike
A sharp increase in an amount or level.
A sudden hike in rent strains our family's monthly budget.
Etymology
Hike has been used for lifting or pulling something upward. The increase sense turns that upward movement into a change in a price, rate, or amount.
More examples
- The airline hikes ticket prices before major holidays.
- Customers complain about the latest hike in delivery fees.
- The bank hiked its interest rate by two percentage points.
Forms
hike · hikes · hiked · hiking