1 C1 idiomatic informal
To dress oneself in a flamboyant, showy, or overly elegant manner.
"He dandied himself up in a velvet jacket and gold cufflinks for the vintage party."
separable
dandy up
C1 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To dress oneself or something else up in a showy, elaborate, or flamboyant style.
In plain English
To make yourself or something look very fancy and showy, like a gentleman from old times.
What does "dandy up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
To decorate or embellish a space or object in a showy or ornate way.
"They dandied up the old café with velvet curtains and brass fixtures."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To make something dandy (fine/excellent) and upward/better.
Actually means
To make yourself or something look very fancy and showy, like a gentleman from old times.
Usage tip
Old-fashioned and now rarely used outside of humorous or ironic contexts. Derives from 'dandy', a 19th-century term for a man obsessed with elegant appearance. May appear in period literature or affectionate mockery.
Words that pair with "dandy up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
outfit room appearance hair uniform
How to conjugate "dandy up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
dandy up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
dandies up
he/she/it
Past simple
dandied up
yesterday
Past participle
dandied up
have + pp
-ing form
dandying up
continuous
Hear "dandy up" in the wild
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