# fit up

CEFR C2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fit-up
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to make someone look guilty of a crime by using fake evidence.

For teachers: to incriminate someone by means of fabricated evidence; primarily used in British English legal or criminal contexts.

## Examples

- He claims the police fit him up for the robbery.
- The detective was accused of trying to fit up a local man to close the case quickly.
- The defense argued that the forensic evidence had been planted in a deliberate attempt to fit up the defendant for a crime he did not commit.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They fit up him." but "They fit him up." — when the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- usually used in the passive voice or with a person as the direct object.
- Teaching tip: this is a highly specific British slang term; contrast it with the American 'frame' to show regional variation in crime vocabulary.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.