sweeten up

sweeten up

1. Literally, to make something taste sweeter. A noun or pronoun can be used between "sweeten" and "up." I like to use honey to sweeten up my tea. Just use a dash of sugar to cut through the acidity of the tomatoes in the sauce, but not so much that you end up sweetening it up.
2. To make something more pleasant, appealing, or enticing, especially from a financial perspective. A noun or pronoun can be used between "sweeten" and "up." I really don't want to look after Tommy this weekend, but buying me that video game I've been asking for would really sweeten up the deal. Desperate to close the sale, the owners tried to sweeten it up by offering to knock $10,000 off the price of the house.
3. To cause someone to be more pleasant, amiable, or magnanimous. A noun or pronoun can be used between "sweeten" and "up." I thought moving to Florida would sweeten up my cranky old uncle, but he's still as cantankerous as ever. He tried to sweeten her up with an expensive gift, but she still wouldn't give him the time of day.
See also: sweeten, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

sweeten someone up

to make someone more pleasant. I had hoped that a week in the Caribbean would sweeten him up. The trip sweetened him up, but not for long.
See also: sweeten, up

sweeten something up

to make something taste sweeter. Where is the sugar? I need to sweeten this up a little. A little sugar will sweeten up the coffee.
See also: sweeten, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

sweeten up

v.
1. To make something sweet or sweeter: The recipe instructs to sweeten up the sauce with a tablespoon of sugar. I usually add some honey to my tea to sweeten it up.
2. To make some offer more appealing: The phone company sweetened up their deal by throwing in a free phone. If you're still unimpressed with our proposal, we can sweeten it up with a great benefits package.
See also: sweeten, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • piece out
  • involve with
  • involve with (someone or something)
  • involved with
  • arrange for
  • arrange for some time
  • arrange some music for
  • back into
  • back into (someone or something)
  • add in