ENGLISH
REFERENCE

do up

phr. v..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to fasten something like a coat or a bag; it can also mean to repair and decorate an old building.

phr. v.. to fasten or secure a garment or container; also used transitively to describe the renovation, repair, or decoration of a structure or object.


SIMPLE

Can you help me do up the buttons on my dress?

CONTEXTUAL

They bought a cheap, old house in the countryside and spent the whole summer doing it up.

COMPLEX

After the property was purchased at auction, the developers spent months doing it up to meet modern safety standards and aesthetic trends.

Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
do + [object] + up
Usage

often used with clothing items (buttons, zips) or properties (houses, flats).

Teaching tip

this is a polysemous phrasal verb; use a 'getting ready' context for the fastening sense and a 'home improvement' context for the renovation sense.

Pitfall

I need to do up my house's roof.I need to do up my house.you 'do up' the whole object or building, not just a specific part of it, when referring to renovation.

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