schmaltz up
C1 informal separable transitive
In simple words
To add too many mushy, emotional feelings to something so it becomes overly soppy.
Literal meaning: To coat something with schmaltz (fat) — the idiom derives from the Yiddish meaning of excessive sentimentality.
Meanings
1 C1
idiomatic
informal
To add excessive, manipulative sentimentality to something, especially a creative work.
"The director schmaltzy up the ending with a tearful reunion that felt completely unearned."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
'Schmaltz' comes from Yiddish, meaning rendered chicken fat, and has come to mean excessive sentimentality. 'Schmaltz up' is rare and mostly encountered in reviews of music, film, or writing. Used critically.
Commonly used with
movie song story ending performance script
Forms
Base
schmaltz up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
schmaltzes up
he/she/it
Past simple
schmaltzed up
yesterday
Past participle
schmaltzed up
have + pp
-ing form
schmaltzing up
continuous
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