fixing up

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   repairing or improving something, especially a building or machine

   Grammar: Takes an object: fix up a house. The object can go between fix and up: fix a house up.

   Patterns

   • fix up something
   • fix something up

   They are fixing up the old barn to make it a guesthouse.

   He spent the weekend fixing up his bicycle.

   The city is fixing up the park with new benches.

2. 2verbtransitive

   arranging or organizing something, such as a meeting or an appointment

   Grammar: Takes an object: fix up a meeting. Often used with 'with' to show the person or group involved.

   Patterns

   • fix up something with someone
   • fix someone up with something

   Can you fix up a meeting with the client for next week?

   She fixed up an interview for her friend.

   We need to fix up a time to discuss the project.

Word forms

Common combinations

fix up a house

They bought a cheap house and fixed it up.

fix up a meeting

I'll fix up a meeting with the team.

fix someone up with

My aunt tried to fix me up with her neighbor.

Synonyms and how they differ

repair

Repair is more formal and often used for machines or equipment; fix up is more informal and can also mean decorate or arrange.

renovate

Renovate is used for buildings and implies a more thorough restoration than fix up.

Opposites

Word family

fix verb

to repair or fasten something

Commonly confused: fixing up or fix on?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “fixing up”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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