English Dictionary

SPRUCE UP

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does spruce up mean? 

SPRUCE UP (verb)
  The verb SPRUCE UP has 2 senses:

1. make neat, smart, or trimplay

2. dress and groom with particular care, as for a special occasionplay

  Familiarity information: SPRUCE UP used as a verb is rare.


 Dictionary entry details 


SPRUCE UP (verb)


Sense 1

Meaning:

Make neat, smart, or trim

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

slick up; smarten up; spiff up; spruce; spruce up; titivate; tittivate

Context example:

titivate the child

Hypernyms (to "spruce up" is one way to...):

beautify; embellish; fancify; prettify (make more beautiful)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something


Sense 2

Meaning:

Dress and groom with particular care, as for a special occasion

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

slick up; smarten up; spruce; spruce up

Context example:

He spruced up for the party

Hypernyms (to "spruce up" is one way to...):

groom; neaten (care for one's external appearance)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody


 Learn English with... Proverbs 
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"A good dog gets a good bone." (Corsican proverb)



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