smarten up

smarten up
verb
1. make neat, smart, or trim
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Spruce up your house for Spring

-

titivate the child

Syn: ↑spruce up, ↑spruce, ↑titivate, ↑tittivate, ↑slick up, ↑spiff up
Derivationally related forms: ↑tittivation (for: ↑tittivate), ↑titivation (for: ↑titivate)
Hypernyms: ↑fancify, ↑beautify, ↑embellish, ↑prettify
Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

-

Something ——s somebody

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Something ——s something

2. dress and groom with particular care, as for a special occasion
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He spruced up for the party

Syn: ↑spruce up, ↑spruce, ↑slick up
Hypernyms: ↑groom, ↑neaten
Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s

-

Somebody ——s somebody

* * *

smarten up [phrasal verb]
1 US
1 a : to become more intelligent or aware : to become smarter

He told me to smarten up and pay attention to the teacher.

He'd better smarten up [=wise up] or he'll get fired.

1 b smarten (someone or something) up or smarten up (someone or something) : to make (someone or something) smarter or more aware

Someone needs to smarten him up before he gets in trouble.

2 smarten (someone or something) up or smarten up (someone or something) : to make (someone or something) neat and attractive

They smartened [=spruced] themselves up for the party.

They smartened up the room for the party.

• • •
Main Entry:smarten

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Smarten — Smart en, v. t. To make smart or spruce; usually with up. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] She had to go and smarten herself up somewhat. W. Black. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • smarten — ► VERB (usu. smarten up) ▪ make or become smarter …   English terms dictionary

  • smarten — index embellish Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • smarten — to make smart, to spruce up, to improve appearance, 1815 (in Emma ), from SMART (Cf. smart) (adj.) …   Etymology dictionary

  • smarten — [smart′ n] vt., vi. to make or become smart or smarter; specif., a) to make or become neater or more stylish b) to make or become more alert, knowing, aware, etc.: usually with up …   English World dictionary

  • smarten sb up — UK US smarten (sb/sth) up Phrasal Verb with smarten({{}}/ˈsmɑːtən/ verb UK INFORMAL ► to improve your personal appearance or the appearance of something: »You ll need to buy a suit and smarten up a bit for the interview. »Staff were told to… …   Financial and business terms

  • smarten up — UK US smarten (sb/sth) up Phrasal Verb with smarten({{}}/ˈsmɑːtən/ verb UK INFORMAL ► to improve your personal appearance or the appearance of something: »You ll need to buy a suit and smarten up a bit for the interview. »Staff were told to… …   Financial and business terms

  • smarten — smart|en [ˈsma:tn US ˈsma:r ] v smarten up [smarten sth<=>up] phr v 1.) smarten yourself up to make yourself look neat and tidy ▪ You d better smarten yourself up. 2.) to make something look neater ▪ We need to smarten the place up a bit. 3 …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • smarten — /smahr tn/, v.t. 1. to make more trim or spruce; improve in appearance (usually fol. by up): Try to smarten up your outfit. 2. to make brisker, as a pace. 3. to sharpen the judgment or broaden the experience of; educate (usually fol. by up):… …   Universalium

  • smarten — verb smarten up phrasal verb especially BrE also smarten yourself up (I) 1 to make yourself look neat and tidy: You d better smarten yourself up a bit before the interview. 2 (transitive smarten something up) to make something look neater: a coat …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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