Give it some welly
"To put in more effort or power, especially when driving or exerting physical force."
British motoring slang referencing Wellington boots, named after the Duke of Wellington and a wardrobe staple for generations of British drivers and manual workers. "Giving it some welly" pictured a driver pressing the accelerator pedal hard with a booted foot, and the phrase spread from the road into general use for putting in extra physical effort of any kind.
Sources: Recorded in British motoring and general slang from the mid-20th century, cited in slang dictionaries including Partridge's Dictionary of Slang.
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