Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to set up a meeting or appointment (usu. for someone else); thus fixed up, having such an appointment arranged; note to arrange a date or sex comes under sense 3.

1896		Ade Artie (1963) 21: [I] fixed it up to take her to a show.
1916		E. Pound letter 24 June in Paige (1971) 84: A. P. Watt fixed me up with Macmillan in about a week.
1930		J.T. Farrell ‘Clyde’ in Short Stories (1937) 167: ‘Come along, kid. I’ll fix you up,’ the stranger said out of the side of his mouth.
1951		D. Stivens Jimmy Brockett 174: We fixed it up to have a drink at the end of the week.
1983		N. Proffitt Gardens of Stone (1985) 191: Want Goody to fix you up?
1999		K. Sampson Powder 245: Keva is quite unlikely, but might come if he can make it. That’s no problem. I totally appreciate her fixing up the rest of the guys for me.

2. to provide someone with food, clothing, accommodation, a job etc.

1889		S. Bailey Ups and Downs of a Crook’s Life 42: I assured him that I would either fix him up myself, or send him to a man across-town who would set him to work.
1895		S. Crane Red Badge of Courage (1964) 93: We’ll have yeh fixed up in jest a minute.
1900		Marvel 8 Dec. 27: We’ll fix yer up with a bit of buffaler’s flesh as sweet as any same.
1911		Eve. Teleg. (Dundee) 28 Aug. 3/7: Forfar Fix Up Bannerman. The Forfar Athletic FC are still signing on [...] Their latest capture is Bannerman.
1913		H.A. Franck Zone Policeman 88 167: ‘I haven’t been issued a gun or handcuffs yet,’ I hinted. ‘Hell’s fire, no?’ queried the Inspector. ‘Tell the station commander at Gatun to fix you up.’.
1923		‘Sapper’ Jim Maitland (1953) 112: You can fix us up, Bury?
1935		J. Conroy World to Win 229: We can fix this up. I’ll see [...] the druggist. He’s a good pal. He’ll come across with something.
1948		(con. 1944) N. Mailer Naked and Dead 615: I coulda fixed ya up with something.
1959		D. Niland Big Smoke 183: ‘How’s it for a feed, Gus? I on’y got a zack.’ [...] ‘We fix you up with something.’.
1961		V.S. Naipaul House For Mr Biswas 164: Seebaran woulda fix you up in two twos.
1970		A. Sillitoe Start in Life (1979) 159: Mr Moggerhanger fixed me up with an attic room at his big house in Ealing.
1981		J. Ellroy Brown’s Requiem 19: Larry, the sales manager at Casa, fixed me up with an old Cutlass demo, loaded.
2005		W.D. Myers Autobiog. of My Dead Brother 102: Tania told me that if I was ever uptight for something to eat, I could come here and Connie [a waitress] would fix me up.

3. (US) to fight, beat up; to defeat.

1889		Kipling ‘Shadow of His Hand’ in Civil & Military Gaz. 2 Aug. (1909) 39: Lot [...] handled the old man tenderly out of regard for his connections. All the same he fixed him up pretty thoroughly .
1973		B. Conn in Heller In This Corner (1974) 222: Krieger, he fixed me up the first time. He beat me.
2004		(con. 1960s-70s) T. Taylor Top Fellas 25/2: We’d all pile in and fix ’em up. The biggest fight I ever saw [etc].

4. to initiate a relationship or bring two people together for sex, to arrange a date or meeting with a prostitute; to marry.

1900		H. Lawson ‘Joe Wilson’s Courtship’ in Roderick (1972) 539: You let me alone and I’ll fix you up [...] I’ll make it all right with the girl.
1929		J.T. Farrell ‘Calico Shoes’ in Fellow Countrymen (1937) 167: Come on, kid, I’ll fix you up.
1931		E.M. Berry ‘Sawmill Divertissements’ in Botkin Folk-Say 211: If I was a young man like you I wouldn’t wait no time afore I’d be fixed up.
1941		B. Schulberg What Makes Sammy Run? (1992) 8: I’ve got a pal who gets me fixed up every Saturday night.
1951		Kerouac On the Road (The Orig. Scroll) (2007) 146: He had promised to fix me up; he knew all the girls in Denver.
1960		A. Burgess Right to an Answer (1978) 69: I must fix him up [...] with some nice girl or other.
1965		(con. 1940s) B. Behan Confessions 183: That’s O.K., friend [...] I’ll fix you up.
1967		L. Bruce Essential Lenny Bruce 208: Hey, fix me up with that girl!
1976		N. Thornburg Cutter and Bone (2001) 183: Cutter asked him if he could fix up his ‘kinky friend here’ with a Great Dane.
1978		Ramis, Kenney & Miller Animal House [film script] I want you to fix Pinto up, but it’s got to be a very special girl.
1989		T. Blacker Fixx 142: Drop my mother’s book and I’ll fix you up with Mila.
1998		I. Welsh Filth 20: Huv tae fix ye up wi ma sister-in-law again.
2005		K. Huff A Steady Rain I i: Only Denny, he’d bring these women to dinner night after night trying to fix me up.

5. (Aus.) to procure or obtain an abortion.

1930

N. Lindsay Redheap (1965) 290: ‘There are places where you can get fixed up, you know,’ said Robert.

6. (US ) to kill.

1940

S. Sterling ‘Ten Carats of Lead’ in Black Mask Stories (2010) 230/1: The skirt was with the two who put the burn on MacReady. They just fixed her up with a slug, too.

7. to have sexual intercourse; in cit. 1958, to satisfy sexually.

1942		N. Algren Never Come Morning (1988) 59: Say, ain’t she even fixin’ you up yet?
1945		K. Amis letter 31 Dec. in Leader (2000) 31: A young lady whom I only like at all when I am actually fixing her up old boy and not much even then.
1958		Murtagh & Harris Cast the First Stone 136: Ain’t got it in you, boy, to fix a lady up.
1965		E. Bond Saved Scene iii: I’ll ’ave t’ fix up a little bird t’night.
1970		San Diego Sailor 57: I’ll fix you up anytime you want it. It’s just that [...] I don’t want to peter out on you.

8. (US gay) to fellate.

1949

‘Swasarnt Nerf’ et al. Gay Girl’s Guide 9: fix up: Least gay euphemism for ‘Blow’, used by some effeminophobic homosexuals. Rare.

9. to pay someone, to hand out money.

1931		W.R. Burnett Silver Eagle 11: ‘I didn’t want to bother you but . . .’ ‘Need money?’ ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘All right. Fix him up, August’.
1951		M. Spillane One Lonely Night 88: I’ll fix you up for your trouble.
1972		(con. c.1930) G. Sothern Georgia 31: Look, Georgia, since you’re broke, why don’t you ask Mr. Hurst for an advance. He’ll fix you up.