We talk of 'eating up' 'finishing up', 'tidying up', and in recent years some people have even started to talk of 'meeting up' . In all those cases 'up' seems to be redundant. There are no alternative ways of eating or tidying, that need to be distinguished by using 'down'. so we don't need to say 'up' either.
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'Up' seems to function as an intensifier in many different V + up idioms. The general sense of it is that to verb something up is to verb thoroughly or conspicuously or until done. Consider for example:
-mess up
-screw up
-ham up
-mix up
-dress up
Larry T. (found your enjoyable blog through the LA forum).
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