do up

verb

did up; done up; doing up; does up

transitive verb

1

: fasten

do up the buttons of a shirt

… an elderly lady with her jacket done up tightly against the wind …

—Sue Lloyd-Roberts

2

a

: to deck (someone) out : clothe

The waitstaff was done up in western attire.

b

: to furnish (something) with something ornamental : decorate

She always does up the house for the holidays.

3

: to prepare (something) for wear or use (as by cleaning or repairing)

"… I'll make the pies and lady fingers tomorrow and do up my white muslin dress. …"

—Lucy Maud Montgomery

4

a

: to wrap (something) up

do up a package

b

: to prepare and preserve (something) for later use : can entry 2, put up

I did up a bushel of tomatoes.

5

: exhaust, wear out

This contact with righteousness has about done me up!

—Sinclair Lewis

Synonyms

• adorn
• array
• beautify
• bedeck
• bedizen
• blazon
• caparison
• deck
• decorate
• do
• doll up
• drape
• dress
• embellish
• emblaze
• emboss
• enrich
• fancify
• fancy up
• festoon
• garnish
• glitz (up)
• grace
• gussy up
• ornament
• pretty (up)
• trim

Examples of do up in a Sentence

the whole house had been done up for Halloween

on Wild West Day some of the women came to the office done up as showgirls, while the men were mostly outlaws

Recent Examples on the Web

Dramatically done up in monochromatic tones of mint green, dusty rose, and powder blue, the 124 guest rooms and suites marry the regal feeling of French castles with contemporary conveniences such as towel warmers, technology panels to customize lighting and temperature, and smart toilets. —Katie Chang, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024

The 106 guest rooms and suites are tastefully done up in crisp blue and white, puffy beds in Frette linens, and marble bathrooms with Diptyque toiletries. —Katie Chang, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024

Getting done up is standard at a boudoir shoot because feeling your hottest translates into better photos, and the same applies at home—yes, even if your face and hair won’t be included in all or most of your pics. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 11 Oct. 2024

The Ultimate Design logo is done up in gold to match the metal components, and the device’s layered steel construction can be seen along the case edges and the camera surround. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1666, in the meaning defined at sense 3