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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Touch Up Meaning, Examples & Usage Guide (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：freshen up appearance (touch up)

touch up 🔊

/tʌtʃ ʌp/

phr.v.

To make small, quick improvements to your appearance to look neater or better.

Touch up appearance: woman fixing hair in mirror

freshen up appearance 🔊

➕

/ˈfrɛʃən ʌp əˈpɪərəns/

phr.v.

To make quick, small adjustments to one's look, such as fixing hair or makeup, to appear neater and more presentable.

📁 Category：Fashion Trends 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old French 'tochier' (to strike) + 'up' (completion).

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine touching a tiny spot with your finger to fix it up perfectly.

📖 Example

Before the video call with my new boss, I went to the bathroom to touch up my hair and put on some lip balm. 🔊 Before the video call with my new boss, I went to the bathroom to touch up my hair and put on some lip balm.

🔗 Collocations

touch up one's makeup – To quickly improve cosmetics on the face or eyes.

touch up one's hair – To adjust hair style or smooth flyaways.

touch up a photograph – To make small digital corrections to a photo.

🔄 Synonyms

freshen up (phr.v.) – To make oneself cleaner or neater, often after being tired or untidy.

spruce up (phr.v.) – To improve the appearance of someone or something, often with small details.

preen (v.) – To make small adjustments to one's appearance, especially in a self-satisfied way.

🚫 Antonyms

neglect (v.) – To fail to care for or maintain one's appearance.

mess up (phr.v.) – To make something untidy or disorganized.

🌱 Derivatives

touch-up (n.) – A small improvement or correction made to something.

📖 Cultural Story

Originates from painting, where artists lightly brush over flaws. Now common for makeup, photography, and minor repairs.

Meaning 2：retouch surface (touch up)

touch up 🔊

/tʌtʃ ʌp/

phr.v.

To make small repairs or improvements to something, especially its surface, to make it look better.

Touch up paint: brush covering scratch on door

retouch surface 🔊

➕

/riːˈtʌtʃ ˈsɜːrfɪs/

phr.v.

To apply small repairs or improvements to the outer layer of an object, especially paint or coating, to restore its even appearance.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The walls looked great after painting, but we needed to touch up a few spots where the paint was too thin. 🔊 The walls looked great after painting, but we needed to touch up a few spots where the paint was too thin.

🔗 Collocations

touch up the paint – To apply extra paint over small defects or missed areas.

touch up a scratch – To fill or paint over a mark on a surface.

touch up the finish – To polish or coat a surface to hide imperfections.

🔄 Synonyms

retouch (v.) – To make small changes to improve the appearance of something, especially art or photos.

patch up (phr.v.) – To repair something quickly, often temporarily.

fix up (phr.v.) – To make minor repairs or improvements to something.

🚫 Antonyms

damage (v.) – To cause harm or injury to a surface.

ruin (v.) – To destroy the good condition of something.

🌱 Derivatives

touch-up (n.) – A small repair or correction, especially to paint.

untouched (adj.) – Not having been touched or altered.