spruce up
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (transitive):
- To make something or someone neat, clean, smart, or attractive in appearance, often by cleaning, tidying, or adding decorative touches.
- To improve the appearance of something by cleaning, repairing, or decorating it.
Verb (intransitive):
- To make oneself neat, smart, or well-dressed; to groom oneself carefully, especially for a special occasion.
Examples of Usage
Verb (transitive):
- We need to spruce up the living room before the guests arrive.
- She spruced up the old bicycle with a fresh coat of paint.
- The city is sprucing up the park for the summer festival.
Verb (intransitive):
- He went to the barber to spruce up for his job interview.
- You should spruce up a bit for the dinner party.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often implies a noticeable but not necessarily major improvement in appearance. It suggests putting in effort to look one's best or to make a place look more presentable.
- It can be used reflexively: "I need to spruce myself up before we go out."
Variants and Related Words
- Spruce (verb): Can be used similarly, often followed by "up." (e.g., ).
- Spruce (adjective): Neat, smart, and trim in appearance. (e.g., ).
Synonyms
- Tidy up (especially for places)
- Smartened up
- Groom
- Freshen up
- Neaten
- Titivate (formal/old-fashioned)
Related Phrasal Verbs / Phrases
- Doll up (informal, often for people, implying more elaborate preparation)
- Gussy up (informal)
- Fix up
Related Idioms
- Put one's best foot forward: To make a special effort to present oneself well, which is the intention behind "sprucing up."
Verb
- dress and groom with particular care, as for a special occasion
- He spruced up for the party
- make neat, smart, or trim
- Spruce up your house for Spring
- titivate the child