phony up
C1 informal separable transitive
In simple words
To make a fake version of something so it looks real.
Meanings
1 C1
idiomatic
informal
To falsify or fake something such as a document, alibi, or piece of evidence.
"The accountant had phonied up the expense reports for months before anyone noticed."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
American spelling variant of 'phoney up'. Informal and fairly rare. More commonly found in American English. Typically refers to documents, evidence, excuses, or credentials. More common in spoken or informal written contexts. Preferred alternatives in formal writing include 'forge', 'fabricate', or 'falsify'.
Commonly used with
documents evidence credentials excuse alibi records
Forms
Base
phony up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
phonies up
he/she/it
Past simple
phonied up
yesterday
Past participle
phonied up
have + pp
-ing form
phonying up
continuous
Understand "phony up" better
Try:
Real video examples
Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.
Synonyms
Want to master this phrasal verb?
Practice "phony up" on Looplines