ENGLISH
REFERENCE

jazz up

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford Informal

phr. v.. to make something more exciting, interesting, or attractive.

phr. v.. to enhance the aesthetic appeal or excitement of something, typically through ornamentation or stylistic modification.


SIMPLE

You can jazz up this plain dress with a colorful scarf.

CONTEXTUAL

The chef decided to jazz up the traditional recipe by adding some exotic spices and fresh herbs.

COMPLEX

The marketing team attempted to jazz up the annual report with vibrant infographics to distract from the disappointing fiscal results.

Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
jazz + up + object
Usage

often used with inanimate objects like clothes, rooms, or pieces of writing.

Teaching tip

the term originates from the lively nature of jazz music; it is a great way to introduce how musical genres can become verbs in English.

Pitfall

He jazzed up to the party.He jazzed up the party.this phrasal verb requires an object that is being improved; it is not a synonym for 'arriving' or 'dressing up'.

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