ˈmake-up BrE AmE , make‧up /ˈmeɪkʌp/ noun
1 . FOR YOUR FACE [uncountable] coloured substances that are put on your face to improve or change your appearance:
I don’t usually wear much make-up.
⇨ make up at ↑ make 1
2 . PEOPLE IN A GROUP [singular] the make-up of a group or team is the combination of people that are in it
make-up of
We should change the make-up of the team.
3 . CHARACTER sb’s make-up the qualities that a person has, which form their character:
Pride has always been an important part of his make-up.
sb’s genetic/psychological make-up
a possible link between genetic make-up and criminal behaviour
4 . TEST [countable] ( also make-up test ) American English a test that you take in school when you were not able to take a previous test
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ wear make-up
They’re not allowed to wear make-up to school.
▪ have make-up on (=be wearing make-up)
She had no make-up on.
▪ use make-up
She rarely uses make-up.
▪ put on make-up ( also apply make-up formal )
Gloria watched her mother put on her make-up.
▪ do your make-up (=put on make-up)
I’ll do your make-up for you, if you want.
▪ take off make-up ( also remove make-up formal )
Take off eye make-up gently, using a cotton ball.
▪ touch up/fix your make-up (=put a little more make-up on after some has come off)
She went into the bathroom to touch up her makeup.
▪ smudge your make-up (=accidentally rub it so that it spreads to areas where you do not want it)
Grace wiped her eyes, smudging her make-up.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + make-up
▪ heavy make-up (=a lot of make-up)
a girl in high heels and heavy make-up
▪ eye make-up
She was wearing far too much eye make-up.
▪ stage make-up (=make-up that actors wear in plays)
the elaborate stage make-up for ‘The Lion King’
▪ pancake make-up (=very thick make-up worn by actors)
His face was covered by thick pancake makeup.
■ make-up + NOUN
▪ a make-up artist (=someone whose job is to put make-up on actors)
the chief make-up artist on the film
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THESAURUS
▪ make-up coloured substances that are put on your face to improve or change your appearance:
I don’t usually wear much make-up.
▪ cosmetics creams, powders etc that you use on your face and body in order to look more attractive:
a range of cosmetics and toiletries
▪ lipstick a substance you use for adding colour to your lips, in the shape of a small stick:
She was wearing bright red lipstick.
▪ eyeshadow coloured cream or powder that you put on your eyelids
▪ eyeliner something you use for adding a line of colour at the edges of your eyelids to make your eyes look bigger or more noticeable
▪ mascara a dark substance you use to colour your eyelashes and make them look thicker
▪ blusher ( also blush American English , rouge old-fashioned ) red or pink cream or powder used for making your cheeks look slightly more pink
▪ foundation a cream the same colour as your skin that you put on your face before the rest of your make-up