smarten

smarten
/smahr"tn/, v.t.
1. to make more trim or spruce; improve in appearance (usually fol. by up): Try to smarten up your outfit.
2. to make brisker, as a pace.
3. to sharpen the judgment or broaden the experience of; educate (usually fol. by up): Someone has to smarten him up about dealing with people.
4. smarten up,
a. to groom oneself: to smarten up before dinner.
b. to become aware of one's mistakes, shortcomings, etc., and make efforts to correct them: If you don't smarten up, you're going to be out of a job.
[1805-15; SMART + -EN1]

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Smarten — Smart en, v. t. To make smart or spruce; usually with up. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] She had to go and smarten herself up somewhat. W. Black. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • smarten — ► VERB (usu. smarten up) ▪ make or become smarter …   English terms dictionary

  • smarten — index embellish Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • smarten — to make smart, to spruce up, to improve appearance, 1815 (in Emma ), from SMART (Cf. smart) (adj.) …   Etymology dictionary

  • smarten — [smart′ n] vt., vi. to make or become smart or smarter; specif., a) to make or become neater or more stylish b) to make or become more alert, knowing, aware, etc.: usually with up …   English World dictionary

  • smarten up — verb 1. make neat, smart, or trim Spruce up your house for Spring titivate the child • Syn: ↑spruce up, ↑spruce, ↑titivate, ↑tittivate, ↑slick up, ↑spiff up …   Useful english dictionary

  • smarten sb up — UK US smarten (sb/sth) up Phrasal Verb with smarten({{}}/ˈsmɑːtən/ verb UK INFORMAL ► to improve your personal appearance or the appearance of something: »You ll need to buy a suit and smarten up a bit for the interview. »Staff were told to… …   Financial and business terms

  • smarten up — UK US smarten (sb/sth) up Phrasal Verb with smarten({{}}/ˈsmɑːtən/ verb UK INFORMAL ► to improve your personal appearance or the appearance of something: »You ll need to buy a suit and smarten up a bit for the interview. »Staff were told to… …   Financial and business terms

  • smarten — smart|en [ˈsma:tn US ˈsma:r ] v smarten up [smarten sth<=>up] phr v 1.) smarten yourself up to make yourself look neat and tidy ▪ You d better smarten yourself up. 2.) to make something look neater ▪ We need to smarten the place up a bit. 3 …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • smarten — verb smarten up phrasal verb especially BrE also smarten yourself up (I) 1 to make yourself look neat and tidy: You d better smarten yourself up a bit before the interview. 2 (transitive smarten something up) to make something look neater: a coat …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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