What are the definitions of “fatten up”?

Learn how to use these expressions through these examples

1Give an animal a lot to eat to make it fat.
They FATTEN the cows UP before slaughtering them.

What’s the most common meaning of the phrasal verb “fatten up”?

The most common meaning of the phrasal verb fatten up is to give an animal a lot of food to make it gain weight or become fat. This is often done to prepare animals for slaughter or to make them healthier.

What are the different verb forms of “fatten up”?

Root Verb	fatten up
Third Person Singular Present	fattens up
Present Participle	fattening up
Simple Past	fattened up
Past Participle	fattened up

Example

We need to fatten up the chickens before selling them.

Example

She fattens up her pigs with a special diet.

Example

He is fattening up the turkeys for Thanksgiving.

Example

They fattened up the cows before taking them to market.

Example

The animals were fattened up before being sold.

What kind of phrasal verb is “fatten up”?

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Notes from a Native English Speaker

What is a transitive and intransitive verb? - A transitive verb always has an object after it. (Example: Sam bought a car.) - An intransitive verb never has an object.(Example: She laughed loudly.)

Transitive verb

“fatten up” is a transitive phrasal verb because it requires a direct object to complete its meaning. The direct object specifies what is being removed, obtained, or eliminated.

Example

She fattened up the pigs for the fair.

Example

He fattened the cows up before selling them.

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Notes from a Native English Speaker

What is a separable and inseparable phrasal verb? - A “separable phrasal verb” can be separated with an object between the verb and particle. - An “inseparable phrasal verb” cannot be separated by an object.

Inseparable

“fatten up” is an inseparable phrasal verb. This means that you can’t place an object between the verb and the particle, otherwise, it changes the meaning of the phrasal verb.

Example

She fattened up the pigs for the fair.

Example

He fattened the cows up before selling them.

What are common phrases and expressions that include the phrasal verb “fatten up”?

Fatten up a person

Encourage or cause a person to gain weight, often by providing them with a lot of food.

Example

Her grandmother always tries to fatten her up when she visits.

Fatten up for winter

Animals, especially those that hibernate, eating more food to gain weight and store energy for the winter months.

Example

Bears fatten up for winter by eating a lot of food in the fall.

Fatten up the bottom line

Increase profits or financial gains, often by cutting costs or increasing sales.

Example

The company is looking for ways to fatten up the bottom line this quarter.

Good things to know

Does “fatten up” have an informal or formal tone?

Fatten up is a neutral phrasal verb that can be used in both informal and formal contexts. It is commonly used in everyday conversations, as well as in more formal settings, such as discussing animal husbandry or business strategies.

What are synonyms of antonyms to the phrasal verb “fatten up”?

Synonyms

plump up
bulk up
gain weight
put on weight
feed up

Antonyms

slim down
lose weight
trim down
shed pounds
cut back