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."
separable
baby up
C1 informal separable transitive
To treat someone or something with excessive care, gentleness, or pampering.
In plain English
To be super careful and gentle with something, like you're treating it as if it were a baby.
What does "baby up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
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."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To treat something as if it were a baby — with extreme tenderness.
Actually means
To be super careful and gentle with something, like you're treating it as if it were a baby.
Usage tip
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.
Words that pair with "baby up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
engine car plant skin machine child
How to conjugate "baby up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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
Hear "baby up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "baby up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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