1 C1 idiomatic informal
to tidy a room, house, or area
"She spent the morning reding up the living room."
mixed
red up
C1 informal mixed transitive/intransitive
to tidy or put a place in order in regional dialect use
In plain English
to make things neat and clean
What does "red up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
to make yourself neat or presentable
"The children were told to red up before the family photo."
intransitive
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to make ready or clear up
Actually means
to make things neat and clean
Usage tip
This is a regional form found especially in Scots and some dialect varieties. Many speakers of standard English do not use it.
Words that pair with "red up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
room house kitchen yard mess things
How to conjugate "red up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
red up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
reds up
he/she/it
Past simple
reded up
yesterday
Past participle
reded up
have + pp
-ing form
reding up
continuous
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