dress up

present singular third person dresses up · participle present dressing up · participle past dressed up · past dressed up

1. intransitiveTo put on special or fancy clothes.

   Everyone dressed up for the graduation ball.

   2 more examples

   I want a job where I don't have to dress up.

   Runners had a fun day out in Friday's HKLRRC Boxing Day Race at Wan Chai Gap with most of the participants dressed up in costumes and braving the chilly weather.

   2014 December 26, Richard Castka, “Runners brave chilly weather in Boxing Day Run”, in South China Morning Post, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 25 Jul 2021, Sport

   Synonyms: gussy up · Antonyms: dress down

2. intransitiveoftenTo put on a costume portraying oneself as a particular type of character or well-known person.

   We're having a party on Saturday, but you must dress up as a famous historical figure.

3. oftentransitiveTo put a costume on (someone) portraying them as a particular type of character or well-known person.

   The cat hated when they dressed him up for Halloween.

4. transitiveTo decorate; to prettify.

   Mistress, your father prays you leave your books, And help to dress your sister’s chamber up: You know to-morrow is the wedding-day.

   c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

5. transitiveTo present in a favorable light.

   You can dress up that proposal however you want; it's still going to go over like a lead balloon.

   Synonyms: spin