1 C1 idiomatic slang
To dress or style oneself in a provocative or sexually suggestive way.
"She hussied herself up before heading out to the party."
inseparable
hussy up
C1 slang inseparable intransitive
To dress or present oneself in a bold, provocative, or sexually suggestive manner.
In plain English
To dress in a way that is meant to be sexy or attention-grabbing.
What does "hussy up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To act like or make oneself look like a 'hussy' (a bold or promiscuous woman) — the literal noun forms the base of the verb.
Actually means
To dress in a way that is meant to be sexy or attention-grabbing.
Usage tip
Rare and considered offensive or derogatory by many speakers, as it derives from the pejorative noun 'hussy'. Mainly encountered in informal American speech or older texts. Use with caution.
Words that pair with "hussy up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
herself for the night before going out
How to conjugate "hussy up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
hussy up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
hussies up
he/she/it
Past simple
hussied up
yesterday
Past participle
hussied up
have + pp
-ing form
hussying up
continuous
Hear "hussy up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "hussy up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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