What are the definitions of “spruce up”?
Learn how to use these expressions through these examples
- 1To smarten, make something neat and tidy.
We SPRUCED the flat UP before we put it on the market.
What’s the most common meaning of the phrasal verb “spruce up”?
The most common meaning of the phrasal verb spruce up is to make something look neat, clean, and attractive. It is often used when talking about improving the appearance of a place, such as a room or a house.
What are the different verb forms of “spruce up”?
| Root Verb | spruce up |
| Third Person Singular Present | spruces up |
| Present Participle | sprucing up |
| Simple Past | spruced up |
| Past Participle | spruced up |
Example
I need to spruce up my room before my friends come over.
Example
She spruces up her apartment every weekend.
Example
He is sprucing up the garden for the party.
Example
They spruced up the living room before the guests arrived.
Example
The house was spruced up before the open house event.
What kind of phrasal verb is “spruce up”?
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
“spruce 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 spruced up her bedroom.
Example
He spruced the garden up for the party.
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
“spruce 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 spruced up her bedroom.
Example
He spruced the garden up for the party.
What are common phrases and expressions that include the phrasal verb “spruce up”?
Spruce up one's appearance
To improve one's personal appearance, such as dressing up or grooming.
Example
He decided to spruce up his appearance before the job interview.
Good things to know
Does “spruce up” have an informal or formal tone?
Spruce up is a neutral to informal phrasal verb. It is commonly used in everyday conversations and can be used in more formal settings depending on the context. However, in some formal situations, it might be more appropriate to use synonyms like 'improve' or 'enhance' instead.
