trump up
/trʌmp ˈʌp/ · trump·up
verb
- To fabricate or invent falsely, especially accusations, charges, or evidence. The prosecutor was accused of trumping up evidence to secure a conviction.
- To heavily publicise, promote, or market a product, often by exaggeration. The company trumped up the new gadget as a revolutionary breakthrough, despite its modest improvements.
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Did you know? The phrase "trump up" first appeared in print around 1915, originally in legal journalism describing bogus charges, and later broadened to marketing jargon in the 1970s.