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. (also fix it up) 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.
1959		C. Himes Real Cool Killerts 99: ‘You tried to fix it up for another time?’ ‘Naw suh, boss, she didn’t need to. Hit cost her more’n it was worth’.
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!
1969		P. Tinniswood Touch of Daniel 103: Don’t tell me that little meeting were an accident.’ ‘Derrick Warrender fixed it up’.
1971		‘V. Hilty’ Hott Butt Halfback 147: ‘He’s great in bed, most married guys who really like it are. Maybe I’ll fix it up with you since you like to screw’ [Simes:DLSS].
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.
1985		‘Paul Radley’ Good mates! 52: ‘Vinnie’ll fix us up with this sort he cottoned on to in Jindaboolawaringoondigi’ [Simes:DLSS].
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.

1903		Truth (Sydney) 15 Mar. 3/5: She said she could get fixed up for a couple of guineas, and he gave her a pound, not for the purposes of abortion, but simply because he felt sorry for her.
1930		N. Lindsay Redheap (1965) 290: ‘There are places where you can get fixed up, you know,’ said Robert.
1948		R. Park Harp in South 103: [S]he’d told some of the girls that she’d been fixed up. She was sick a long time, but she didn’t have a baby. It was worth it [Simes:DLSS].
1949		D. Davin Landfall (Christchurch, NZ) 234: ‘Well, they say he put her up the spout. And then he got some old dame who hangs out in Georgetown to fix her up.’ .
1959		F. Norman Stand On Me 92: ‘I’ve got in touch with someone to fix me up’.
1959		D. Hewitt Bobbin Up 155: ‘It’s an ol’ nurse,’ Dorrie said. ‘The landlady says she’s marvellous. She’ll fix you up. So you don’t need to worry no more’ .
1962		‘Criena Rohan’ Delinquents 151: ‘I suppose I could have got fixed up, but I didn’t have the money’.
1963		T.A.G. Hungerford Shake Golden Bower 190: ‘He wants me to fix Caroline up. To procure an abortion on her, is what they’d call it in the courts’ [Simes:DLSS].
1966		J. Smith Ornament of Grace 52: ‘I got her fixed up, didn’t I?’ ‘A measly fifty quid’ [Simes:DLSS].
1970		B. Oakley Salute to Great McCarthy 82: ‘[D]on’t come whining back when you get into trouble. Der doctor fix you up once already. It happens again and by crikey I fix the both off you’.

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.