Definition
Spruce up means to make (someone or something) look cleaner, neater, or more attractive.
For example – “We want to spruce up the garden for this summer.”
Clip 1
The first clip is from the series Blockbuster. The character Timmy has been nominated for a small business award so the female character tells him that he needs a little sprucing up. Meaning that he needs to make himself look a little bit more attractive for the award show.
Clip 2
The 2nd clip is from the series The Hailey Dean Mysteries. The female character is talking about how she has been thinking about improving how her office looks and this is why she uses the phrasal verb “sprucing up”.
Clip 3
The 3rd clip is from the show “Schitt’s Creek”. The male character on the left, Johnny Rose, has ownership over a small town. When he arrives to check it out he is shocked by the inappropriate welcome sign. The other character thinks the welcome sign only needs “a little sprucing up” which in this case would refer to being cleaned and repainted but Johnny wants the sign changed completely because he doesn’t like the image that is displayed on the sign.
Clip 4
The final clip is from the film August: Osage County. In this clip a mother is critisicing her daughter for being single and tells her “You could get a decent man if you spruced up a bit.” Saying to her that if she made more of an effort to improve her appearance she could find a boyfriend.