titivate

Modification of earlier spelling tidivate, perhaps based on tidy + -vate, on the pattern of words like cultivate and renovate.

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈtɪt.ɪ.veɪt/, /ˈtɪt.ə.veɪt/

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titivate (third-person singular simple present titivates, present participle titivating, simple past and past participle titivated)

1. To make small improvements or alterations to (one's appearance etc.); to add some finishing touches to, to spruce up or touch up.
   • 1950, Mervyn Peake, Gormenghast:

     Had she spent the best part of a day in titivating herself in order that she might sit plunged in darkness, with nothing but her feet and her nose revealed?

• tidivate
• tiddivate
• tittivate

• titivation
• titivator