1 C1 idiomatic informal
to groom yourself carefully to look attractive or respectable
"He went inside to prink up before the family photo."
both
prink up
C1 informal both transitive/intransitive
to make yourself look neat or attractive, especially in an old-fashioned way
In plain English
to tidy yourself and try to look nice
What does "prink up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
to make someone or something look smarter or more decorative
"They prinked the small hall up with ribbons and candles."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Literally, to decorate or arrange neatly.
Actually means
to tidy yourself and try to look nice
Usage tip
Old-fashioned and uncommon in modern English. Learners are much more likely to hear 'primp up' or 'spruce up'.
Words that pair with "prink up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
oneself hair clothes before church for company appearance
How to conjugate "prink up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
prink up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
prinks up
he/she/it
Past simple
prinked up
yesterday
Past participle
prinked up
have + pp
-ing form
prinking up
continuous
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