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Glite Dictionary
to suit up

to suit up

38 4.0
Put on formal clothes or a uniform for an event
  • phrasal verb
  • /suːt ʌp/
  • Informal
translation icon : ponerse la ropa adecuada
  • Before the meeting, he quickly suits up in his best suit to make a good impression.
  • get suited up
  • suit up for the game
  • suited up and ready

Yo good day, going to the Pencils of Promise gala where I'm on the board which is why I'm suited up which is rare.

Examples

  • Narrator 1: Daniel suits up and joins his teammates on the field.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • -So, go suit up.

    Kicking & Screaming (2005)

  • All right, suit up and get out there.

    The Boys in the Boat (2023)

  • Gonna need you to suit up!

    Neon Days (2020)

  • - All right, suit up.

    The Outsider (1997)

  • What if he ordered them to suit up and go out?

    Fiction book (1998)

  • His advice to the players who will suit up on Thursday is simply to hustle.

    Blog text (23)

  • All we have to do is show up, suit up, and play our hardest.

    Blog text (18)

  • I'm going to suit up so that I can come out and get you if you're in trouble.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Time to suit up!

    PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021)

Synonyms

to get dressed
vsto suit up
253 1.0

To put on clothes

is for formal or purpose-specific clothing rather than general wearing of clothes
to dress up
vsto suit up
178 2.7

Put on special clothes for an event or to look attractive

is more about wearing formal clothes for a specific purpose rather than costume
to attire
vsto suit up
  • Formal
7 4.6

To put on special clothes to look nice or impressive

is more about choosing clothes for a specific purpose or event rather than show
to get up
vsto suit up
4 3.7

To dress in special clothes to look different or attractive

is focused on formal clothing for a purpose rather than aiming to be striking
to dress properly
vsto suit up
1 2.4

Wear clothes that suit the event or weather

is more about wearing formal clothes for a specific purpose or event
to doll up
vsto suit up
  • Informal
1 7.2

To dress up and make yourself look attractive for a special event

is more about appropriate or formal clothing for a purpose rather than showy appearance
to prim up
vsto suit up
7.6

To dress neatly and formally for an event

is aimed at formal or purpose-specific clothing rather than neat grooming
to tog
vsto suit up
  • UK
9.9

To put clothes on someone, often in a special way for warmth

is used for formal or occasion-specific clothing rather than general clothing provision
to deck up
vsto suit up
  • Informal
8.2

To put on special clothes to look nice for an event

is more about appropriate formal clothing for a specific purpose rather than elaborate appeal
to tog up
vsto suit up
  • UK
9.4

To put on special clothes to look attractive for an event

is more about formal suitability for a task or event rather than showy impressing

How Dressed

in full gear
1 3.5
to dress up
178 2.7
to suit up
  • Informal
38 4.0
to get dressed
253 1.0
to put on
679 1.0

Surface Forms

suit up infinitive
suited up past
suited up past participle
suiting up present participle
suits up third person singular

Morphology

suit + up

The meaning 'to put on formal or appropriate clothing' is directly derivable from combining 'suit' (a set of clothing) with the particle 'up', which in English commonly marks putting on or completion (cf. 'dress up'). This verb+particle composition follows a regular, cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Suit up comes from the simple image of putting on a suit or special uniform and pulling it up to be ready, like players or soldiers do before a game or mission. So it now means 'to put on formal or appropriate clothes' or 'to get ready'.