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A little mouse got a rug from a woman. He was so pleased he sang this song.

"Oh me, oh my!

We'll soon be as snug

As a bug in a rug

What do you think of that!

Come and see me any time

I'll make you up another rhyme

But please don't bring the cat."

This is a short story from "Little Old Mrs Pepperpot".

I couldn't understand this sentence "I'll make you up another rhyme". Does it mean "I will make up another rhyme for you?

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    I think you're correct about "I'll make up another rhyme for you". Do remember, in figurative speech (in this example, poetry) word order can be changed for effect. In this case, the author's probably changed it around so that "rhyme" rhymes with "time".
    – 13509
    Jun 6, 2016 at 16:45
  • @JamesWirth Could you write an answer?
    – user3169
    Jun 6, 2016 at 17:49
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    As with other ditransitive phrasal verbs, if make up has an indirect object (you, in this case), this can appear between the two words. So I'll make up a sandwich for you, I'll cut off a slice for you can be rephrased as I'll make you up a sandwich, I'll cut you off a slice.
    – FumbleFingers
    Jun 6, 2016 at 17:59
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    @FumbleFingers "Make up a sandwich" ? That must be a uniquely BrE expression, because I have never heard it used that way in AmE.
    – Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_
    Jun 6, 2016 at 18:54
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    @FumbleFingers Actually, it's only make + object with both in AmE. We teach both as collocations with only "make" in EFL. make a bed, make a sandwich, make a bet, etc. PS: "make up a bed" and "make a bed" have different meanings.
    – Cascabel_StandWithUkraine_
    Jun 6, 2016 at 21:08

1 Answer 1

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In your passage

I'll make you up another rhyme

does mean

I will make up another rhyme for you

The idiom is

verb + someone + up

where the action (verb+up) is being done for/to someone

I'll fix you up a sandwich.
I'll make a sandwich for you

They'll write her up in the paper.
They'll write a story about her in the paper

We'll cook him up some dinner.
We'll cook something for dinner for him

Let's rustle ourselves up some grub.
Let's get some food (in cowboy speak)

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