Tart Up (Verb)
Meaning 1
Decorate in a cheap and flashy way; "the small-town bar was all tarted up".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
Examples
- The old diner was tarted up with neon lights and gaudy decorations to attract more customers.
- The hotel room was tarted up with cheap furniture and loud wallpaper to make it look more luxurious.
- The small town's main street was tarted up with balloons and streamers for the annual festival.
- The old mansion was tarted up with flashy chandeliers and gilded mirrors to impress potential buyers.
- The restaurant was tarted up with bright colors and silly decorations to appeal to families with young children.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
Dress up in a cheap and provocative way.
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Examples
- She spent hours tarting up in front of the mirror, trying to perfect her look for the party.
- The way she tarted up for the night out made her friends wonder if she was trying too hard to get attention.
- He accused her of tarting up just to impress the guys at the bar.
- After a few drinks, she started to tart up even more, much to the dismay of her more conservative friends.
- The way the singer tarted up on stage was a stark contrast to her wholesome image in her earlier years.