fatten up

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fatten up

The farmer is working to fatten up the pigs before the fair.

Definition

  1. Verb (transitive):

    • To cause a person or animal to gain weight, typically by providing more or richer food, often with the intention of preparing them for slaughter or sale.
    • To make something fuller, larger, or more substantial.

  2. Verb (intransitive):

    • To gain weight oneself.
Usage
  • As a transitive verb, "fatten up" takes a direct object (the person or animal being fed).
  • It is a separable phrasal verb. The object can often come between "fatten" and "up" (e.g., ).
  • It is commonly used in agricultural contexts but can be applied informally to people.
Examples
  • Transitive use:
    • The farmers are trying to fatten up the pigs before the fair.
    • She's been fattening her son up with home-cooked meals since he returned from college.
  • Intransitive use:
    • I need to fatten up a bit before the winter.
  • Figurative use (making something more substantial):
    • He added some anecdotes to fatten up his presentation.
Advanced Usage
  • "fatten someone/something up for something": This structure implies a specific purpose for the weight gain.
    • They are fattening the turkey up for Thanksgiving.
    • (Figurative) The company was fattened up for a takeover.
Variants and Related Words
  • Fatten (verb): The base verb, often used interchangeably with "fatten up," though "fatten up" can sound more informal or complete.
  • Plump up (verb): A close synonym, often used for making something softer and rounder (e.g., ).
  • Put on weight (verb phrase): A more neutral phrase for gaining weight.
Synonyms
  • Plump up
  • Feed up
  • Build up (in the context of making something more substantial)
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Beef up: To make something stronger or more substantial, often used for non-living things like security, arguments, or text.
    • We need to beef up the security system.
  • Bulk up: To gain muscle mass or size, typically through exercise and diet.
    • He's been lifting weights to bulk up.
Idioms and Related Expressions
  • "Fatten the calf": An idiom derived from the biblical parable of the prodigal son, meaning to prepare a lavish celebration for someone's return.
    • When their daughter announced she was coming home, they began to fatten the calf.
  • "Fatten one's wallet/purse": To make oneself richer.
    • The corrupt official was more interested in fattening his wallet than serving the public.
fatten up

The farmer is working to fatten up the pigs before the fair.

Verb
  1. make fat or plump
    • We will plump out that poor starving child

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