1 B2 idiomatic informal
To make oneself look very neat, well-groomed, and dressed up, often for a special occasion.
"He slicked himself up for the job interview — new tie, polished shoes, hair gelled back."
separable
slick up
B2 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To make oneself or something look polished, neat, and well-groomed, often excessively so.
In plain English
Make yourself or something look very neat, shiny, and dressed-up.
What does "slick up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To clean or tidy up a place to make it look more polished or presentable.
"They slicked up the storefront before the grand reopening."
separable
Usage tip
Chiefly used in American English, especially in informal or rural Southern dialect. Can have a slightly humorous or ironic tone, suggesting someone is trying too hard to look impressive. Can be used reflexively ('slicked himself up') or applied to spaces and objects.
Words that pair with "slick up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
appearance hair outfit himself herself place
How to conjugate "slick up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
slick up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
slicks up
he/she/it
Past simple
slicked up
yesterday
Past participle
slicked up
have + pp
-ing form
slicking up
continuous
Hear "slick up" in the wild
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