1 B2 informal
To make something look neater and tidier by cutting or shaping its edges.
"He trimmed up his beard before the job interview."
separable
trim up
B2 informal separable transitive
To neaten or smarten the appearance of something by cutting or tidying its edges.
In plain English
To cut or tidy something to make it look neat and clean.
What does "trim up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To decorate or adorn something, giving it a finished, polished look.
"They trimmed up the shop windows with festive lights and ribbons."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To cut the edges or sides of something upward to make it look neat.
Actually means
To cut or tidy something to make it look neat and clean.
Usage tip
Commonly used for haircuts, beards, hedges, and nails. Slightly less common than 'trim' alone or 'tidy up'. Suggests making something look cleaner and more presentable rather than drastically changing it.
Words that pair with "trim up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
beard hair hedge nails edges lawn
How to conjugate "trim up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
trim up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
trims up
he/she/it
Past simple
trimed up
yesterday
Past participle
trimed up
have + pp
-ing form
triming up
continuous
Hear "trim up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "trim up"
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