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

Even the room, with its various plants and florals done up in towering arrangements, smells fresh and bright. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2025

Adding a daybed in gingham, especially one done up in the coastal blue Perennials upholstery that winks at Dorothy’s iconic dress, is a clever way to play up the timeless print when brainstorming a new bedroom furniture layout. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 26 Sep. 2025

His face is done up in traditional calavera face paint. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2025

White Oak Pastures has pet-friendly cabin rentals done up in rustic style. —Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 6 Sep. 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