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baby up

C1 informal separable transitive
In simple words

To be super careful and gentle with something, like you're treating it as if it were a baby.

Literal meaning: To treat something as if it were a baby — with extreme tenderness.

Meanings

1 C1 idiomatic informal

To treat a person with excessive care or gentleness, often to the point of spoiling them.

"Stop babying him up — he's old enough to handle a bit of criticism."

Grammar: separable
2 C1 idiomatic informal

To prepare or handle an object with extreme care, usually something delicate or valuable.

"He babied up his vintage motorcycle before every ride, polishing every part by hand."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Informal and colloquial. Can apply to people (treating someone as too fragile) or objects (handling something with extreme care). Sometimes carries a slightly negative connotation, implying the care is excessive or unnecessary. More common in American English.

Commonly used with

engine car plant skin machine child

Forms

Base
baby up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
babies up
he/she/it
Past simple
babied up
yesterday
Past participle
babied up
have + pp
-ing form
babying up
continuous

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