Skip to main content
to trick up

to trick up

7.2
To make someone or something look fancier to impress people
  • phrasal verb
  • /trɪk ʌp/
  • Informal
translation icon : embellecer
  • She decided to trick up the living room with new cushions before the guests arrived.

Examples

  • He loves to trick up his car with custom accessories and flashy paint.

  • The children were tricked up in costumes for the school play.

  • She tricked up her outfit for the party.

  • He always tricks up his presentations with flashy graphics.

  • She decided to trick up her outfit with some colorful accessories for the party.

  • The designer plans to trick up the plain room with vibrant paint and stylish decor.

  • To impress her friends, she will trick up her simple hairstyle with a beautiful hairpin.

Synonyms

to dress up
vsto trick up
178 2.7

Put on special clothes for an event or to look attractive

is more about clothes for events rather than general making more attractive
to dress something up
vsto trick up
56 3.4

Make something look nicer or more attractive for a special event

is broader covering both temporary event decoration and longer styling
to deck out
vsto trick up
  • Informal
15 4.1

To make a person or a room look special with clothes and decorations

is similar but can also apply to decorating objects for events
to do up
vsto trick up
  • UK
10 3.7

Wrap and decorate something like a present to make it look attractive

focuses on objects and wrapping rather than dressing people or styling clothes
to gussy
vsto trick up
  • Informal
8 8.7

Make something or someone look fancier by adding decorations

is the general act of elaborating appearance to impress others
to primp
vsto trick up
  • Informal
8 7.2

To get ready by fixing your clothes, hair, or makeup carefully

places emphasis on grooming detail rather than decorating objects for show
to attire
vsto trick up
  • Formal
7 4.6

To put on special clothes to look nice or impressive

is more formal and clothing specific than broad decorative enhancement
to pretty up
vsto trick up
  • Informal
6 4.3

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

is more about cosmetic improvement than broader decorative elaboration to impress
to gussy up
vsto trick up
  • Informal
5 8.6

To dress or decorate in a fancy way to look nicer

is broader, not limited to showy or ostentatious decoration
to tart
vsto trick up
  • UK
4 6.9

To make something look showy to attract attention

carries negative taste implication rather than neutral impression seeking
to get up
vsto trick up
4 3.7

To dress in special clothes to look different or attractive

is about choosing striking clothes rather than adding decorations or embellishments
to bedeck
vsto trick up
4 7.8

To put fancy decorations like flowers or lights on something to make it look special

is often used for objects rather than clothing or personal grooming
spruced up
vsto trick up
  • Informal
3 4.6

Neat and attractive, often dressed or decorated for a special occasion

focuses on tidiness and neatness rather than elaborate showy decoration
to trick out
vsto trick up
  • Informal
1 7.4

To make something like a car or outfit look very fancy by adding bright decorations

is the same idea, used to make an impressive appearance
to doll up
vsto trick up
  • Informal
1 7.2

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

is more specifically about personal grooming and self dressing to impress
to spiff up
vsto trick up
  • Informal
1 7.2

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

emphasizes neatness and quick improvement rather than heavy elaboration to impress
to glam up
vsto trick up
  • Informal
1 6.8

Make yourself or someone more stylish using clothes and makeup

aims at glamour and fashion rather than general ornate decoration for impressing
to paint up
vsto trick up
1 2.5

Put paint on something to make it look better

is about painting or surface finish rather than clothing or grooming
to tart up
vsto trick up
  • UK
1 8.9

To make something or someone look bright and showy to attract attention

is similar but carries more judgment about poor taste or excess
to turn out
vsto trick up
1 3.4

To dress someone in special clothes for an event

is the general act of making appearance more elaborate to impress others
to glamourize
vsto trick up
  • UK
1 6.3

Make something seem more attractive than it really is

shifts focus to perceived glamour rather than actual dressing or decorating
to prank
vsto trick up
  • Archaic
1 8.1

To dress something in showy clothes or decorations

is similar but often lacks any surprise or joke aspect
to sex up
vsto trick up
  • NSFW
1 8.4

Make something more attractive or exciting by adding sexual details

focuses specifically on sexual appeal rather than general attractive embellishment
to gussie
vsto trick up
  • Informal
9.9

To make a person or thing look fancy, often in a showy way

is about wider embellishment aimed at impressing others
to fancify
vsto trick up
  • Informal
7.7

Make something look more attractive by adding decorations

is used for dressing or decorating to create an impressive look
to fancy up
vsto trick up
  • Informal
6.5

Make something look more stylish and attractive

is focused on stylish enhancement for the purpose of impressing others
to deck up
vsto trick up
  • Informal
8.2

To put on special clothes to look nice for an event

is the general act of making appearance more elaborate to impress
to rig out
vsto trick up
  • Informal
6.9

Dress yourself or others in fancy clothes to look impressive

is similar but often implies preparing or equipping beyond mere clothing
to tog up
vsto trick up
  • UK
9.4

To put on special clothes to look attractive for an event

emphasizes clothing for appearance more than general decorative changes
to tog out
vsto trick up
  • UK
8.6

To dress in nice clothes for a special event

is focused on occasion dressing rather than ongoing decoration or styling
to prink
vsto trick up
  • Archaic
9.9

To dress carefully to look fancy

is more about small grooming or fussiness than larger decorative changes
to dandify
vsto trick up
  • Archaic
9.6

To dress someone or make them act in a showy, fashionable way

leans toward a stylized fashionable identity rather than general elaboration
to tittivate
vsto trick up
9.9

To make something or yourself look neat and attractive

is more about small careful touches rather than overtly showy embellishment
to slick up
vsto trick up
  • Informal
6.8

Make a person look neat and more attractive by dressing and grooming them carefully

focuses on polish and neatness rather than adding elaborate decorations to impress
to fig out
vsto trick up
  • Archaic
9.9

To dress in special clothes to look attractive

is mainly about clothing choices to impress rather than decorating objects
to fig up
vsto trick up
  • UK
9.9

To put on fancy clothes to look good

focuses on clothing and style rather than broader decorative embellishment
to pimpin'
vsto trick up
  • Slang
9.9

Making a car or other object look bright and showy with extra parts

is vehicle focused and implies custom flashy modification rather than general dressing
to put on frills
vsto trick up
7.2

To add small not needed decorations to clothes or events to make them seem fancier

suggests excess decoration beyond useful or tasteful enhancement for impressing
to lux up
vsto trick up
  • Informal
9.4

Make something look more expensive by adding nicer things

leans toward adding luxury and cost rather than mere decorative prettiness

How Fancy

to trick up
  • Informal
7.2
to deck out
  • Informal
15 4.1
to gussy up
  • Informal
5 8.6
to dress up
178 2.7
to dress
1.0

Surface Forms

trick up infinitive
tricked up past
tricked up past participle
tricking up present participle
tricks up third person singular

Morphology

trick + up

The particle 'up' commonly signals making or enhancing (as in 'dress up', 'jazz up'), so a learner familiar with that pattern could infer a meaning related to making something fancier. However, 'trick' more often means to deceive rather than to decorate, and the specific sense 'decorate/dress to impress' (as in 'trick out/ tr icked up') is a more idiomatic extension that a B1 learner may not reliably predict without exposure. This partial correspondence between constituents and the MWE meaning makes it only partially transparent.

Etymology

Trick up comes from the image of adding a small, showy trick to something, and the up part means it is made 'extra'. So to trick up a car or a room is to 'decorate' it to 'impress' other people.