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 of do up

• 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

Wednesday’s practice started with some of the players doing up-downs after forgetting equipment. —Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026

The new look is polished but homey, done up in a Craftsman style with plenty of sleek, dark wood and rich tones of brown and gold. —Annemarie Dooling, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026

The open kitchen is done up with all-black cabinetry and countertops, creating a moody corner that contrasts with the light wood used throughout. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2026

Need some classic rock (done up Broadway style)? —Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026

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