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"red up"

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my mother and all of my family from southwest Pennsylvania uses the term "red (read???) up" to mean clean up as in "Let's red up the house for company." Any insights into this usage?

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It means "ready up" or "get ready."   I could be wrong but this is how I have understood this all my life.

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It's redd up, set in order or make tidy. Seems to be a Scots term, early 16th century.

 

Peter

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so....never occurred to google it (duh) and I find that wickipedia says it is a Pennsylvania Dutch term that means clean up....which makes great sense given the region. thanks all

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