ENGLISH
REFERENCE

put on frills

idiom
Meaning

To act in a pretentious or snobbish way.


Examples
SIMPLE

He likes to put on frills when he talks to his neighbors.

CONTEXTUAL

She started to put on frills after her promotion, acting as if she were better than her old friends.

COMPLEX

Despite his humble beginnings, he began to put on frills at social gatherings, adopting an affected accent and looking down upon those he once called peers.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    not to put too fine a point on it

    Used to apologize for a possibly impolite statement one is making; to put it bluntly; to express it in plain terms.

  2. 02

    put a band-aid on a bullet wound

    To inadequately treat a serious situation.

  3. 03

    put a blanket over

    Make (something) seem less serious.

  4. 04

    put a bug in someone's ear

    To make a small suggestion or give a hint that causes the listener to act.

  5. 05

    put a damper on

    To stop people from enjoying an activity.

  6. 06

    put a foot wrong

    To make a mistake.

  7. 07

    put a gun to someone's head

    To compel someone (to do something); to create a situation in which someone has no alternative course of action.

  8. 08

    put a hat on a hat

    To do something unnecessary, to go over the top

Last updated April 17, 2026