brush up

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brush up (third-person singular simple present brushes up, present participle brushing up, simple past and past participle brushed up)

1. To paint, or make clean or bright with a brush.
   • April 10, 1706, Alexander Pope, letter to William Wycherley

     You have commissioned me to paint your shop, and I have done my best to brush you up like your neighbours.

2. (idiomatic) To review; to improve an existing but rusty or underdeveloped skill.

   Synonym: rub up

   I'll need to brush up (on) my Greek before my trip to Athens.

   • 2010 December 7, J.A., “Travel in style”, in The Economist‎:

     How many will be rich enough to travel in style is difficult to know—but already 30% of the guests at the very expensive Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong are from mainland China. Reception staff around the world had better start brushing up their Mandarin language skills.