touch up
To fix small problems with how something looks, or (rude) to touch someone without permission.
Meanings
To make minor repairs or improvements to the surface appearance of something.
"The decorator came back to touch up a few patches where the paint had chipped."
To improve a photograph, image, or piece of artwork by making small digital or manual corrections.
"She spent an hour touching up the photos from the wedding before sending them to the clients."
To apply or reapply make-up or cosmetics to refresh one's appearance.
"She slipped away before the speeches to touch up her lipstick."
(British informal, offensive) To touch someone in a sexual way without their consent.
"He was dismissed from his job after a colleague accused him of touching her up."
In its standard sense, 'touch up' refers to minor cosmetic improvements — repainting a small area, correcting a photo, or refreshing make-up. In British English, the informal sense of inappropriately touching someone is well-known and should be learned as a false-friend risk. Context usually makes the intended meaning clear.
Commonly used with
Forms
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Synonyms
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