spruce
2[sproos]
adjective, spruc·er, spruc·est.
trim in dress or appearance; neat; smart; dapper.
verb (used with object), spruced, spruc·ing.
to make spruce or smart (often followed by up): Spruce up the children before the company comes.
verb (used without object), spruced, spruc·ing.
to make oneself spruce (usually followed by up).
Origin of spruce
21580–90; obsolete spruce jerkin orig., jerkin made of spruce leather, i.e., leather imported from Prussia (see spruce1), hence fine, smart, etc.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for sprucing
organize, file, form, repair, overhaul, restore, redo, update, revamp, renovate, rehabilitate, recondition, modernize, remodel, refit, regenerate, reinvigorate, refresh, renew, revitalizeExamples from the Web for sprucing
Contemporary Examples of sprucing
Historical Examples of sprucing
Since his money-feathers were beginning to grow again he felt like sprucing about.
Sister CarrieTheodore Dreiser
"Sprucing up" is West Point for the morning house-cleaning in the summer camp.
On GuardUpton Sinclair
“Jack is sprucing up for the girls,” observed Pepper, with a wink at Andy.
The Putnam Hall CadetsArthur M. Winfield
spruce
1noun
Word Origin for spruce
C17: short for Spruce fir, from C14 Spruce Prussia, changed from Pruce, via Old French from Latin Prussia
spruce
2adjective
Word Origin for spruce
C16: perhaps from Spruce leather a fashionable leather imported from Prussia; see spruce 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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spruce
spruce
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper