gussy up

/ˈgʌsi əp/

To gussy up is to decorate something or dress up for a special occasion. You might want to gussy up your living room before throwing that surprise party this weekend!

When you want to make something more fancy or festive, you gussy it up. You might gussy up your house — touching up the paint and organizing the clutter — before trying to sell it. And you might gussy up for the first day of school, styling your hair in an extra fancy way and wearing your favorite outfit. One guess about the origin of this phrase links it to an old Australian nickname for a man who cares too much about his appearance: a gussie.

Definitions of gussy up

1. verb

   put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive
   synonyms: attire, deck out, deck up, dress up, fancy up, fig out, fig up, get up, overdress, prink, rig out, tog out, tog up, trick out, trick up

   dress, dress up

   dress in a certain manner

   costume, dress up

   dress in a costume

   types:

   dress, plume, preen, primp

   dress or groom with elaborate care

   prank

   dress up showily

   tart up

   dress up in a cheap and provocative way

   enrobe

   adorn with a robe

   bedizen, dizen

   dress up garishly and tastelessly

   type of:

   dress, get dressed

   put on clothes