1. To apply make-up or cosmetics to one's face to appear prettier.
2. To devise or compose
3. To make up work that was missed due to absence at a later point; SYN. catch up with.

1. When you make up your mind, make up your mind about something, or make up your mind about doing something, you decide which choice to make or which action to take.
2. When you invent a story to entertain or fool people, you make the story up. When you invent a lie to deceive people, you make the lie up.
3. When you have an amount of money that is not enough for a certain requirement and you add more money so that it will be enough, you make up the difference between the amount you have and the amount you need.
4. When you do something that you were required to do earlier but did not, such as attend a class, take a test, or complete a homework assignment, you make it up.
5. [the noun and adjectives derived from this verb are much more commonly used than the verb itself] When you make yourself up, you put lipstick, eye shadow, and so on, on your face.