1 B2 idiomatic informal
To decorate a place for a special occasion.
"They decked the house up with marigolds and lanterns for Diwali."
separable
deck up
B2 informal separable transitive
To decorate or dress someone or something up in an impressive or festive way; a variant of 'deck out'.
In plain English
To make something or someone look very nice and special with decorations or fancy clothes.
What does "deck up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To dress someone in fancy or festive clothing.
"She decked herself up in her best saree for the ceremony."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To deck (decorate) something in an upward or complete sense.
Actually means
To make something or someone look very nice and special with decorations or fancy clothes.
Usage tip
Less common than 'deck out'. Frequently used in South Asian English (India, Pakistan) to describe decorating for festivals or dressing up for occasions. Informal in all contexts.
Words that pair with "deck up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
house room bride venue lights flowers
How to conjugate "deck up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
deck up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
decks up
he/she/it
Past simple
decked up
yesterday
Past participle
decked up
have + pp
-ing form
decking up
continuous
Hear "deck up" in the wild
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