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

• decorate
• adorn

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

And with options ranging from crisp poplin to breezy linen, soft silk to classic chambray—not to mention plenty done up in summer’s top-trending colors—there are endless choices, and of course, an equally vast amount of styling opportunities. —Christina Holevas, Vogue, 30 June 2025

The clapboard exterior is done up in an of-the-moment butter-yellow shade. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 21 June 2025

Don’t carve your name, which is what everyone used to do up until relatively recently. —Ari Daniel, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2025

Photo : Jason Rick Photography The guesthouse bedroom and bath are done up in bold colors evocative of the 1950s. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 11 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1666, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for do up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup