BUOY UP
Dictionary entry overview: What does buoy up mean?
• BUOY UP (verb)
The verb BUOY UP has 3 senses:
1. become more cheerful
2. make more cheerful
3. keep afloat
Familiarity information: BUOY UP used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• BUOY UP (verb)
Meaning:
Become more cheerful
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
buoy up; lighten up; lighten
Context example:
after a glass of wine, he lightened up a bit
Hypernyms (to "buoy up" is one way to...):
cheer; cheer up; chirk up (become cheerful)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Meaning:
Make more cheerful
Classified under:
Verbs of feeling
Synonyms:
lighten; lighten up; buoy up
Context example:
the conversation lightened me up a bit
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
Meaning:
Keep afloat
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
buoy; buoy up
Context example:
The life vest buoyed him up
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
