spruce-up

American

[sproos-uhp] / ˈsprusˌʌp /

noun

an act of cleaning up, refurbishing, renovating, or the like.

spruce up British

verb

(adverb) to make (oneself, a person, or thing) smart and neat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

spruce up Idioms

Make neat and trim, as in She spruced up the chairs with new cushions. This idiom originated in the late 1500s as simply spruce but had acquired up by 1676.

Etymology

Origin of spruce-up

Noun use of verb phrase spruce up

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Price: ~$23 Benevolence LA Bitmap Textile Coasters Spruce up your place with these retro coasters, featuring a bitmap design from Susan Kare, the designer who created the iconic original Macintosh icons.

From The Verge • Apr. 30, 2019

Spruce up a school as a volunteer for Hands on D.C., which completes hundreds of projects for about 30 schools in the city.

From Washington Post • May 28, 2018

Spruce up your site. An updated website is vital for attracting top talent.

From Forbes • Apr. 28, 2015

SP Spruce up your home This needn't always be expensive: a designer fake is just as good as the real thing, and more satisfying.

From The Guardian • Oct. 21, 2010

Mrs Roper followed Miss Spruce up the stairs and Johnny was left with Amelia.

From The Small House at Allington by Trollope, Anthony

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023