buoy up Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb become more cheerful
    lighten; lighten up.
    • after a glass of wine, he lightened up a bit
  2. verb make more cheerful
    lighten; lighten up.
    • the conversation lightened me up a bit
  3. verb keep afloat
    buoy.
    • The life vest buoyed him up

WordNet