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Phrase Meanings » screw up
What does "screw up" mean?
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Muster or summon up; see pluck up one's courage.
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Make a mess of an undertaking; also, make a mistake, as in I really screwed up this report, or She said she was sorry, admitting that she had screwed up. Some authorities believe this usage is a euphemism for fuck up. [Slang; c. 1940]
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Injure, damage, as in I screwed up my back lifting all those heavy books. [Slang]
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Make neurotic or anxious, as in Her family really screwed her up, but her therapist has helped her a lot. [Slang; mid-1900s]
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