1 B2 idiomatic informal
To embrace and show intense physical affection toward someone.
"She loved up her little boy before he went to sleep."
separable
love up
B2 informal separable transitive
To show intense physical affection toward someone; to smother someone with love.
In plain English
You give someone lots of kisses and hugs and show them a great deal of love.
What does "love up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
(Informal) To show affectionate, romantic, or physical attention to a partner.
"The couple were loving each other up on the dance floor all night."
separable
Usage tip
Informal and familiar. Can range from the tenderness of cuddling a baby to a more romantically charged sense depending on context. Found in British and American English. Also used reflexively: 'love yourself up' in the sense of self-care.
Words that pair with "love up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
baby partner yourself dog child
How to conjugate "love up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
love up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
loves up
he/she/it
Past simple
loved up
yesterday
Past participle
loved up
have + pp
-ing form
loving up
continuous
Hear "love up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "love up"
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