smarten up

verb

smartened up; smartening up; smartens up

1

US : to become more intelligent or aware : to become smarter

He'd better smarten up or he'll get fired.

2

US : to make (someone or something) smarter or more aware

Someone needs to smarten him up before he gets in trouble.

3

: to make (someone or something) neat and attractive

They smartened themselves up for the party.

They smartened up the room for the party.

Did you know?

titivate, spruce up, smarten up, or spiff up?

Titivate, spruce, smarten, and spiff all mean "to make a person or thing neater or more attractive." Titivate often refers to making small additions or alterations in attire ("titivate the costume with sequins and other accessories"), but it can also be used figuratively (as in "titivating the script for Broadway"). Spruce up is sometimes used for cosmetic changes or renovations that give the appearance of newness ("spruce up the house with new shutters and fresh paint before trying to sell it"). Smarten up and spiff up both mean to improve in appearance often by making more neat or stylish ("the tailor smartened up the suit with minor alterations"; "he needed some time to spiff himself up for the party"). The origins of titivate are uncertain, but it may have been formed from the English words tidy and renovate.