dress-up
HighInformal, colloquial
Definition
Meaning
To put on formal or special clothes; to wear clothes that are not your usual everyday wear, often for a specific occasion or role.
1. To make something or someone appear more attractive, impressive, or formal than usual. 2. In children's play, to wear costumes to pretend to be someone else. 3. To adorn or decorate something elaborately.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Most commonly used as a phrasal verb ('to dress up') or a hyphenated noun ('dress-up game'). The noun form often refers specifically to children's costume play. Can imply effort, disguise, or transformation beyond simple clothing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In both varieties, the core meanings are identical. The noun 'dress-up' for children's play is slightly more common in American English.
Connotations
Slightly more associated with children's imaginative play in the US; in the UK, the phrase can more readily extend to adult formal occasions without the play connotation.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties. No significant regional variation in core usage.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Subject + dress up (intransitive)Subject + dress up + as + role/characterSubject + dress up + for + eventSubject + dress up + Object (e.g., dress up a story)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Dress up to the nines”
- “Dress up a story (embellish)”
- “All dressed up and nowhere to go”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in contexts like 'dress up the quarterly report' meaning to make figures look better.
Academic
Very rare in formal writing. May appear in sociological studies of play or fashion.
Everyday
Very common, especially regarding parties, Halloween, weddings, and children's activities.
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We need to dress up for the theatre tonight.
- The children love to dress up as pirates.
American English
- We have to dress up for the company gala.
- She dressed up as a zombie for Halloween.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable. 'Dressed up' functions as an adjective phrase, e.g., 'She came all dressed up.'
American English
- Not applicable. 'Dressed up' functions as an adjective phrase, e.g., 'He got dressed up for the date.'
adjective
British English
- It's a dress-up occasion, so no jeans please.
- They raided the dress-up box for the school play.
American English
- It's a dress-up party, so wear a costume.
- The dress-up clothes are in the trunk.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The girls dress up in their mother's clothes.
- Do I need to dress up for the restaurant?
- He dressed up as a clown for the birthday party.
- I don't like to dress up for work meetings.
- The annual ball is the one event where everyone really dresses up.
- You can't just dress up the facts to suit your argument.
- The concept of 'dress-up' allows children to experiment with social roles and identities.
- The proposal was deliberately dressed up in complex jargon to obscure its flaws.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'DRESS' adding 'UP' – moving your clothing style upwards from normal to special.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLOTHING IS A DISGUISE / FORMALITY IS ELEVATION / PLAY IS TRANSFORMATION
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation like 'одеть вверх'. Use 'нарядиться', 'принарядиться', or 'одеваться в костюм'.
- The noun 'dress-up' (детская игра в переодевание) does not have a perfect single-word equivalent.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'dress up' when you mean simply 'get dressed' (e.g., 'I dressed up for work' vs. 'I got dressed for work').
- Confusing 'dress up' (for fun/formality) with 'dress' (to put clothes on).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'dress up' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
As a noun (e.g., children's dress-up) or adjective (dress-up clothes), it is hyphenated. As a verb, it is two words: 'to dress up'.
'Get dressed' is the neutral act of putting clothes on. 'Dress up' implies putting on special, formal, or costume clothes you wouldn't wear normally.
Yes. When referring to information (e.g., 'dress up the facts'), it means to deceptively embellish or make something appear better than it is.
No. While strongly associated with children's play, it is commonly used for adults putting on formal wear (e.g., for a wedding) and in the metaphorical sense of embellishment.