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Glite Dictionary
to chum up

to chum up

1 7.7
To make friends with someone by talking and being kind
  • phrasal verb
  • UK
translation icon : hacerse amigo
  • At the office, I decided to chum up with my new colleagues to make some friends.

Examples

  • It's important to chum up to your teammates to build good relationships.

  • Lieutenant Paddy Shortis - I had chummed up with him only the previous day - we were friends for a very brief duration, he was shot dead beside me, and two or three others.

    Blood Freak (1972)

  • She always tries to chum up with the new students on the first day of school.

Synonyms

to pal
vsto chum up
  • Informal
37 5.3

To become friends with someone and spend time together

is the same meaning but differs only in phrasing or form
to rub elbows
vsto chum up
  • Informal
8 5.8

To meet and talk with important people at social events

is about becoming friendly rather than merely mixing in groups
to hit it up
vsto chum up
  • Slang
1 8.9

To meet someone and spend time talking and relaxing

applies to becoming friendly or acting sociably toward someone over time
to pal up
vsto chum up
  • Informal
8.0

Become friends with someone and spend time with them

is the same meaning but differs only in phrasing or form
to chum
vsto chum up
  • UK
5.8

To spend time with someone as a friend

focuses on starting a friendship rather than ongoing friendly time

Antonyms

to alienate
123 6.7

To make someone feel alone and lose support from others

to disassociate
16 7.0

To end a connection with a person, group, or idea

How Friendly

to bond with
68 3.7
to chum up
  • UK
1 7.7
to make friends
134 1.0

Surface Forms

chum up infinitive
chummed up past
chummed up past participle
chumming up present participle
chums up third person singular

Morphology

chum + up

The base verb 'chum' already means to associate or socialise, and the particle 'up' commonly signals becoming or intensifying a state, so the combined meaning 'become friendly/associate closely' is directly derivable. This follows a productive English V+up pattern, which a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer.

Etymology

The phrasal verb chum up comes from the old word chum meaning 'friend' and the idea of moving up toward someone. Imagine two people moving closer and acting friendly. That's why chum up means 'to become friendly'.