lead up *
initiate **

I played along to see what he was leading up to.

But go on, ask me your question, whatever you were leading up to.

She had no idea what he was leading up to.

But to me there is no evidence the government did a good job either, leading up to or during the process.

So that was what they had been leading up to.

It was what this whole meeting had been leading up to.

George wondered what David was trying to lead up to.

The track started to lead up over the first hill.

He found the road that led up into the mountains.

A set of steps were cut into rock, leading up through the trees.