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to pretty

to pretty

4 5.7
Make something look nicer by adding decorations
  • verb
  • /ˈprɪti/
  • Informal
: embellecer
  • After a long day of work, he spent the evening prettying up his presentation for the meeting.

Examples

  • She decided to pretty the garden with colorful flowers and decorative stones.

  • And Mum had already started prettying hers up.

  • I am going to pretty this thing up, get it ready to sell.

  • "You can dirty them, you can pretty them," she said.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Anyway, while our sister act pretties up...

  • Just don't pretty it up

    Blog text (23)
  • Cathy's prettying up the guest room.

  • Prettying up is no longer a bland, routine experience.

    Blog text (15)
  • The committee plans to pretty the old park with new benches and vibrant murals.

Synonyms

to decorate
vsto pretty
224 1.9

To make something look nicer by adding paint, ornaments, or other items

also covers nondecorative improvements and general pleasantness
to spruce
vsto pretty
  • Informal
29 4.1

To make a place or person look neat and smart

also includes decorative changes or added ornaments beyond cleaning
to beautify
vsto pretty
11 3.2

To make a place or person more attractive by adding decorations like paint

is milder, aiming for a pleasant rather than dramatic change
to gussy
vsto pretty
  • Informal
9 8.7

Make something or someone look fancier by adding decorations

is more general, not always aiming for an overly fancy style
to gussy up
vsto pretty
  • Informal
8 8.6

To dress or decorate in a fancy way to look nicer

is about improving attractiveness without necessarily being showy
to embellish
vsto pretty
7 6.3

To make something more beautiful by adding decorative details

can include other improvements not only added decoration
to dress something up
vsto pretty
5 3.4

Make something look nicer or more attractive for a special event

also applies to everyday small improvements not only special occasions
to buff up
vsto pretty
  • Informal
5 5.8

To make something better in how it works or how it looks

is more about adding decorative improvements rather than only polishing
to pretty up
vsto pretty
  • Informal
4 4.3

Make people and places look nicer by dressing up, adding decorations, or using makeup

can be broader, including small decorative or noncosmetic improvements
to ornament
vsto pretty
4 3.7

To add decorations to something to make it look nicer

is broader, also includes subtle improvements beyond adding objects
to glam
vsto pretty
  • Informal
3 7.5

To make someone or something look stylish and attractive with makeup and clothes

is more general, not limited to fashion or glamorous styling
to spiff up
vsto pretty
  • Informal
3 7.2

Make a person or place look neater and nicer by cleaning and adding small things

is not only about tidying and also includes decorative improvements
to fancy up
vsto pretty
  • Informal
1 6.5

Make something look more stylish and attractive

applies broadly, not limited to making style more elaborate
to prettify
vsto pretty
1 5.0

Make something look more attractive, often only on the surface

is broader, focusing on genuine improvements rather than just surface decoration
to aestheticize
vsto pretty
1 7.5

To make something look more beautiful or artistic

is more general, not limited to artistic visual enhancement
to fancify
vsto pretty
  • Informal
1 7.7

Make something look more attractive by adding decorations

is simpler, used for general attractiveness without excess style
to tittivate
vsto pretty
9.9

To make something or yourself look neat and attractive

is broader, not only focused on small cosmetic tidying

Idioms

pretty much
  • Informal
∞ 3.0

Almost completely but not quite

pretty please
  • Baby Talk
18 7.6

A polite, pleading way to ask someone for something

a pretty penny
  • Informal
13 7.0

A large amount of money that is higher than expected

sitting pretty
  • Informal
9 6.1

In a comfortable position with enough money and little worry

7 7.2

An unpleasant scene that shocks people

2 7.6

A person who is attractive but thought to have little intelligence or real skill

Phrasal Verbs

to pretty up
  • Informal
4 4.3

Make people and places look nicer by dressing up, adding decorations, or using makeup

Compounds

pretty boy
  • Informal
53 5.5

A young man who has a delicate, attractive face

pretty face
  • Offensive
50 4.2

An attractive person who others think has nothing besides looks

pretty shitty
  • Offensive
9 9.9

Very bad or disappointing

pretty-pretty
  • Informal
9 8.4

Too decorated and showy in a shallow way

9.9

A woman who trains wild horses to accept a rider

How Attractive

to decorate
224 1.9
to adorn
29 4.9
to pretty
  • Informal
4 5.7
to spruce up
  • Informal
25 3.8
tidy
56 1.0

Surface Forms

pretty infinitive
prettified past
prettified past participle
prettifying present participle
pretties third person singular

Etymology

Prettied (to 'pretty' something up) is just using the adjective pretty as an action: to 'make something pretty'. That is why saying 'She prettied the room' means she made the room more attractive.