Gussy up
Meaning
To adorn or dress oneself or something in a showy, often overly elaborate or decorative manner.
Origin
The phrase "gussy up" is thought to have emerged in American English around the turn of the 20th century. The core of the phrase, "gussy," is widely believed to derive from a diminutive of the name "Augusta" or "Augustus"—names that, in popular culture of the era, sometimes carried connotations of effeminacy or dandyism. To "gussy up" therefore invoked the image of someone meticulously or even excessively primping and preening, or making something overly ornate and showy. This colorful association with a somewhat foppish character stuck, solidifying the phrase's meaning of making something fancier, often to an extreme.
Examples
- She spent hours gussying up the old barn with fairy lights and flowers for the wedding reception.
- He needed to gussy up his presentation slides with more visuals before the big client meeting.