DRESS UP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does dress up mean? 

• DRESS UP (verb)
  The verb DRESS UP has 5 senses:

1. put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive

2. make something appear superficially attractive

3. put a caparison on

4. dress in a costume

5. dress in a certain manner

  Familiarity information: DRESS UP used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DRESS UP (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

attire; deck out; deck up; dress up; fancy up; fig out; fig up; get up; gussy up; overdress; prink; rig out; tog out; tog up; trick out; trick up

Context example:

The young girls were all fancied up for the party

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

dress; get dressed (put on clothes)

Verb group:

dress; dress up (dress in a certain manner)

costume; dress up (dress in a costume)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dress up"):

dress; plume; preen; primp (dress or groom with elaborate care)

prank (dress up showily)

tart up (dress up in a cheap and provocative way)

enrobe (adorn with a robe)

bedizen; dizen (dress up garishly and tastelessly)

Sentence frames:

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

Antonym:

dress down (dress informally and casually)

Also:

dress (put on clothes)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make something appear superficially attractive

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

dress up; window-dress

Context example:

Don't try to dress up the unpleasant truth

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

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Put a caparison on

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

bard; barde; caparison; dress up

Context example:

caparison the horses for the festive occasion

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

adorn; beautify; decorate; embellish; grace; ornament (make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Dress in a costume

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

costume; dress up

Context example:

We dressed up for Halloween as pumpkins

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

apparel; clothe; dress; enclothe; fit out; garb; garment; habilitate; raiment; tog (provide with clothes or put clothes on)

Verb group:

attire; deck out; deck up; dress up; fancy up; fig out; fig up; get up; gussy up; overdress; prink; rig out; tog out; tog up; trick out; trick up (put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 5

Meaning:

Dress in a certain manner

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

dress; dress up

Context example:

he dressed up in a suit and tie

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

dress; get dressed (put on clothes)

Verb group:

attire; deck out; deck up; dress up; fancy up; fig out; fig up; get up; gussy up; overdress; prink; rig out; tog out; tog up; trick out; trick up (put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive)

dress; get dressed (put on clothes)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dress up"):

vest (clothe oneself in ecclesiastical garments)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

A new moon in Sagittarius at four degrees on November 26 will light your home sector and allow you to make good progress on your aims to move or to dress up your home, make repairs, or find a new roommate if necessary.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)