do up

British  

verb

1. to wrap and make into a bundle

   to do up a parcel

2. to cause the downfall of (a person)

3. to beautify or adorn

4. (also intr) to fasten or be fastened

   this skirt does up at the back

5. informal to renovate or redecorate

6. slang to assault

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do up Idioms  

1. Fasten up or put up; also, dress up. For example, Let's do up all the gifts in matching paper , or Please help me do up the collar button , or Jane did up her hair for the dance , or The children were all done up in their best outfits . [c. 1800]

2. . Do something thoroughly or very well, as in They really did it up brown for the dinner party . The allusion here is unclear, but it may be to wrapping a package in brown paper. [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

"She used money to open Sanctuary Gym, do up her business partner's house, buy gifts and make other purchases along the way. All of this, she appeared to keep secret from Elizabeth Murphy."

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

“I can ask, ‘Can you tell me when I won’t be able to do up the buttons on my shirt or operate a phone?’” he says.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2025

As they say, Blinken is on a high wire right now—and he’s got a lot of balancing to do up there.

From Slate • Oct. 27, 2023

“Some of the things that they do up front with their line movement, stuff like that is pretty good,” he said.

From Washington Times • Dec. 26, 2022

“Actually,” he confessed cheerfully, “this will be my first time, same as you. It should be interesting to see how I do up there.”

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer