1.
If you ~ or dress yourself up, you put on different clothes, in order to make yourself look smarter than usual or to disguise yourself.
You do not need to ~ for dinner...
Little girls ~ as angels for fiestas.
PHRASAL VERB: V P, V P in/as n
2.
If you dress someone up, you give them special clothes to wear, in order to make them look smarter or to disguise them.
Mother loved to dress me up.
PHRASAL VERB: V n P
3.
If you dress something up, you try to make it seem more attractive, acceptable, or interesting than it really is.
Politicians ~ their ruthless ambition as a pursuit of the public good...
However you dress it up, a bank only exists to lend money.
PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P
4.
see also dressed up , dressing-up