English · Phrasal verb Attested

buddy up

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To form small teams, especially pairs, often to reduce the likelihood of any one person suffering harm without being noticed or to suit the nature of a task to be accomplished

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

hình thành các đội nhỏ, đặc biệt là các cặp

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To ally with, team up with, cooperate with.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

liên minh, hợp tác, cộng tác

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “buddy up” mean?

To form small teams, especially pairs, often to reduce the likelihood of any one person suffering harm without being noticed or to suit the nature of a task to be accomplished

Is “buddy up” formal or informal?

buddy up is generally informal.