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smartening up

 - 2 dictionary results

smart⋅en

  [smahr-tn]
Use smartening up in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
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.
—Verb phrase
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.
Origin:
1805–15; smart + -en 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

smarten 
"to make smart, to spruce up, to improve appearance," 1815 (in "Emma"), from smart (adj.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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