What does this phrasal verb mean: "Make it up"?

[Yankee]

Just a comment on American vs British usage:

The use of 'make it up' in the test sentence does NOT sound natural to my American ears. In North America, I would expect the word 'it' to be omitted in such a context:

- After they had shouted at each other, they decided to make up. (This sounds natural to me.)
- After they had shouted at each other, they decided to make it up.

The use of 'it' in the second of the two sentences above sounds completely foreign to me. However, I might use 'make it up' this way:

- After having inadvertently broken her favorite vase, he tried to make it up to her by sending a beautiful new vase along with a dozen roses.

The word 'it' refers to the fact that he broke her favorite vase.

[Alan]

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Of course you can say: They decided to make up or They decided to make it up. It very much depends on what you are referring to and what the situation is. 'Make it up' would be used for something formal like two countries/two political parties. 'Make up' would be informal between individuals.

Alan
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[Kati Svaby]

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Thanks Bez,

I can't say anything else that thanks God and we are lucky that at the present time we are not undergraduate students, aren't we?
Are these words correct and existing yet when we speak about exams?
-repeat exam
-resit
-retake
Many thanks because the dictionaries give unambiguous answers.

Kati
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[Alan]

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Hi Kati,

I think 'reset' is for the examiner to do and 'resit' would be for the student.

Alan
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[Kati Svaby]

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Hello Alan,

The typos are my death. Of course I wanted to write resit/ retake= (the exam or a test again, usually after failing in the first time.)

My question would be what is the name of the exam that I have to postpone without failing, say, because of illness.

This would be: the make up=(but Oxford Dictionary says it's a special exam taken by the students who missed or failed the earlier one. Oxford Dictionary doesn't say this is a postponed exam. In Hungarian there are two words one who fails: this is repeat exam
and the other who can't take exam on a given day : this is a postponed exam.

Postpone exam: you have not got a bad note in your registration book
Repeat exam: you have a bad note and you are only allowed one resit.

Can we use alternatively resit/retake/make up?

Many thanks and best regards:
Kati Svaby
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We always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love - first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage.

[Beeesneees]

[Kati Svaby]

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Hello Yankee,

Who chose the British English they meet the expression:
-make it up with somebody (Br.E.)
-make up with somebody(AmE)
Examples:
-Why don't you make up with you boy friend ?
-Has he made it up with her yet?
-Have they made it up with their parents?

Both means to end a disagreement with somebody and become friends again.
I like both and I think we have to respect both ! Each has its own tradition, hasn't it?

Regards:
Kati Svaby
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We always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love - first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage.

[Yankee]

[Beeesneees]

[Kati Svaby]

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Hello Bez,

I have to say that what I write I always control in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary by A S Hornby (Eigth edition)

here it is:
make up (with sb)
(BrE. also): make it up (with sb)

to end a disagreement with sb and become friends again

-Why don't you two kiss and make up?
-Has he made it up with her yet?
-Have they made it up yet?
(on 932. page)

Regards:
Kati
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We always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love - first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage.

[Beeesneees]

In your earlier post you indicated that 'make up' was AmE only. That's what I was disagreeing with.
What you say in your latest post agrees wih what I wrote above it.
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Cheers m' dears!