To Fix Up

To Fix Up

Meaning: To improve the appearance or condition of something

 Example 1:

Tom: It is so exhausting looking for a house. We have visited at least 10 different houses in the past two weeks and we still haven’t found one we like!

 Sarah: Are you looking for a new house?

 Tom: No, we don’t really have enough money to buy a new house. Instead, we are looking for an older house that we can fix up. We don’t mind doing a little work as long as the house is in a good location.

 Sarah: That’s what we did when we bought our house a couple of years ago. We had such a good time fixing everything up on the weekends. We especially liked painting everything. It was a great experience for the kids because they were able to fix up their rooms in any way they wanted.

 Tom: That sounds like fun! I hope we find something soon.

 Sarah: I’m sure you will. Good luck!

Example 2:

Ken: Wow! That’s a really old car! What year is it?

Jack: It’s a 1967 Mustang. Isn’t it gorgeous?

Ken: Well….it’s kind of old and rusty.

Jack: You have to use your imagination! After I fix it up with a new paint job and tires, it will be as good as new. Actually, it will be better than new!

Ken: You mean that you are going to fix this old car up? That’s going to take a lot of work!

Jack: Yes, it will, but in the end I’ll have a beautiful classic car. Since I’ll spend so much time fixing it up, the car will be special. You can’t find that in any of the new cars.

Ken: I see your point. Would you like me to help you fix it up on the weekend? My dad owns a tire shop and I can get you a great deal.

Jack: Sounds good! Thank you for the offer!

Meaning:
To fix up means to improve the appearance or condition of something. It is usually used when talking about older things that need changing to look better, like a house or car.

This idiom can be found in the LSI textbook Speaking Transitions. This book is used at LSI schools in the level 4 Listening/Speaking classes. For more information, please visit: www.languagesystems.com