Library / English Dictionary

BUOY UP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become more cheerful

Example:

after a glass of wine, he lightened up a bit

Synonyms:

buoy up; lighten; lighten up

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "buoy up" is one way to...):

cheer; cheer up; chirk up (become cheerful)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Keep afloat

Example:

The life vest buoyed him up

Synonyms:

buoy; buoy up

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "buoy up" is one way to...):

hold; hold up; support; sustain (be the physical support of; carry the weight of)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make more cheerful

Example:

the conversation lightened me up a bit

Synonyms:

buoy up; lighten; lighten up

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "buoy up" is one way to...):

cheer (show approval or good wishes by shouting)

Cause:

buoy up; lighten; lighten up (become more cheerful)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

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