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Glite Dictionary
to trump up

to trump up

4 8.6
To make a false story to accuse someone unfairly
  • phrasal verb
  • /trʌmp ʌp/
translation icon : fabricar
  • The officials who were targets of the investigations contend the probes were trumped up as retaliation for political and legal disagreements with the sheriff and prosecutor.
  • trumped up charges

Examples

  • He said the charges against Mirkarimi were "trumped up."

    Blog text (9)

  • You people are trying to trump up fear and insecurity as often as you can.

  • They'd trump up some charge and arrest her.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Then again, they could probably trump up an excuse to show that filming was interfering with their ability to do their job.

    Blog text (15)

  • The fact that he was convicted only of a misdemeanor leads me to believe that the charges were trumped up and stacked for a plea deal.

    Blog text (7)

  • Mr. McCoy can't prosecute the real killer, so he trumps up a charge against Mr. Hampton.

    Spirits (1990)

  • There's no need to trump up your story just because there are kids in it.

  • Defense lawyers argued that the police had trumped up the charges to frighten away peaceful protesters.

Synonyms

to make up
vsto trump up
972 3.2

Invent a story or excuse that is not true

usually involves inventing false charges or reasons specifically to harm someone
to set up
vsto trump up
146 6.2

To trick someone so they appear guilty by using false evidence

aims to invent false accusations or charges with intent to harm
to concoct
vsto trump up
46 6.0

Make up a story or excuse to trick people

tends to invent false accusations with intent to deceive and harm
to falsify
vsto trump up
  • Formal
44 7.3

To make documents or facts not true to deceive people

focuses on creating false accusations or reasons to deceive and harm
to doctor up
vsto trump up
  • Informal
1 8.1

To change something to hide mistakes or trick people

involves creating false accusations or reasons rather than changing existing material
falsifying
vsto trump up
7.6

To make false information, for example in documents or results, to trick people

is about inventing damaging accusations or reasons rather than general falsification
to hoke up
vsto trump up
  • Informal
9.9

To invent a story or excuse that is not true

focuses on inventing false accusations with intent to deceive or cause harm
to fudge the details
vsto trump up
  • Informal
7.7

Change facts on purpose to make something seem better

is aimed at inventing harmful accusations or charges rather than improving appearance

Antonyms

to tell the truth
814 2.7

Say what really happened without hiding facts or lying

to verify
251 3.5

To make sure something is true or correct

How Fabricated

to frame
123 7.5
to trump up
4 8.6
to fabricate
50 7.3
to make up
972 3.2

Surface Forms

trump up infinitive
trumped up past
trumped up past participle
trumping up present participle
trumps up third person singular

Morphology

trump + up

The sense 'to invent false stories or charges' is not directly derivable from the given constituents: 'trump' (to proclaim/hype) plus the particle 'up' does not transparently convey fabrication. This is an idiomatic use (as in 'trump up charges') where the specific meaning must be learned from exposure, so a B1 learner knowing the parts would likely not predict it.

Etymology

Trump up may come from old slang where trump meant a fake or worthless thing, like making up a story that is not true. So to trump up something means 'to invent a false story or charge' to trick or harm someone.