do up
verb
did up; done up; doing up; does up
1
: fasten
do up the buttons of a shirt
… an elderly lady with her jacket done up tightly against the wind …—
Sue Lloyd-Roberts
Sue Lloyd-Roberts2
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
Lucy Maud Montgomery4
a
: to wrap (something) up
do up a package
b
: to prepare so as to preserve for later use can entry 2, put up
I did up a bushel of tomatoes.
Synonyms
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
It can be worn with the lovely pearl buttons done up as a shirt or undone as a cardigan.
—Jessica Copeland, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2023
The brothers enlisted Landscape Design Workshop to do up the grounds and Meyer David to curate the interiors and amenity spaces.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2023
Christmas Tree A white Christmas tree becomes a bold statement when done up in bright red, silver, and clear decorations.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Oct. 2023
The interior is done up in Grace White and Navy Blue leather with Jasmine trim.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2023
And damage is exponential as wind speed increases, meaning a strong Category 3 storm could do up to 60 times as much damage as a weak Category 1 storm.
—Jennifer Gray, CNN, 29 Aug. 2023
Perhaps his most famous paintings from the 1960s feature entire environments built around giant signs — Standard gas stations, Norm’s diners, 20th Century Fox movie studios — all done up in flag-waving red, white and blue.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2023
Toeing the line between dressy and dressed down, the loose-fitting pants appeared to be less bulky but more done up than a pair of sweatpants.
—Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 20 Sep. 2023
There’s something meta about Meisel capturing these iconographic faces all done up as versions of himself—see: Kaia Gerber in his oversized trapper hat; Scott Barnhill in his paisley bandana; Jackson Jarrel in his black kilt and boots; and Alton Mason in his relaxed blazer and leather pants.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2023
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Jessica Copeland, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2023
The brothers enlisted Landscape Design Workshop to do up the grounds and Meyer David to curate the interiors and amenity spaces.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2023
Christmas Tree A white Christmas tree becomes a bold statement when done up in bright red, silver, and clear decorations.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Oct. 2023
The interior is done up in Grace White and Navy Blue leather with Jasmine trim.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2023
And damage is exponential as wind speed increases, meaning a strong Category 3 storm could do up to 60 times as much damage as a weak Category 1 storm.
—Jennifer Gray, CNN, 29 Aug. 2023
Perhaps his most famous paintings from the 1960s feature entire environments built around giant signs — Standard gas stations, Norm’s diners, 20th Century Fox movie studios — all done up in flag-waving red, white and blue.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2023
Toeing the line between dressy and dressed down, the loose-fitting pants appeared to be less bulky but more done up than a pair of sweatpants.
—Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 20 Sep. 2023
There’s something meta about Meisel capturing these iconographic faces all done up as versions of himself—see: Kaia Gerber in his oversized trapper hat; Scott Barnhill in his paisley bandana; Jackson Jarrel in his black kilt and boots; and Alton Mason in his relaxed blazer and leather pants.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'do up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1666, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Dictionary Entries Near do up
Cite this Entry
“Do up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do%20up. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
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