Keep up appearances In english explanation

The meaning, explanation, definition and origin of the idiom/phrase "keep up appearances", English Idiom Dictionary ( also found in Vietnamese )

author Tonia Thai calendar 2022-04-14 11:04

Meaning of Keep up appearances

Synonyms:

make as if to do something , make a virtue of necessity, to , set yourself up as something

Keep up appearances American British informal verb phrase

If you say that someone keeps up appearances, you mean that he tries to keep an impression of richness and well-being because he wants to hide his bad situation.
 

She dressed up to keep up appearances for her kids in the parent-teacher meeting.

Jane spent all his saving to buy a new car simply because he wanted to keep up appearances with his friend.

Despite being in debt, she still kept up appearances in the company.

Other phrases about:

Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth

Used to imply that someone is acting as if he or she is demure, innocent, sincere or reserved but they may be not

Cry Wolf
Used to show that someone is claiming that something is happening when it is not or giving a false alarm
give pap with a hatchet

To pretend to treat someone kindly, but in fact it's not true

make (all) the right noises

To say what other people want or expect to hear

 

Grammar and Usage of Keep up appearances

Verb Forms

  • keep up appearances
  • Keeping Up Appearances
  • keeps up appearances
  • kept up appearances

The verb "keep" should be conjugated according to its tense.
 

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TODAY
to rob the cradle
have a romantic or sexual relationship with or marry someone much younger than oneself.
Example: The middle aged man robbed the cradle with the teenager.
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