curl up

British  

verb

1. (intr) to adopt a reclining position with the legs close to the body and the back rounded

2. to become or cause to become spiral-shaped or curved

3. (intr) to retire to a quiet cosy setting

   to curl up with a good novel

4. informal to be or cause to be embarrassed or disgusted (esp in the phrase curl up and die )

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curl up Idioms  

1. Assume a position with the legs drawn up; settle down for sleep in this posture. For example, I love to curl up with a good book . [c. 1900]

2. curl up and die . Retreat, collapse, die, as in At first the horse was ahead but in the home stretch she curled up and died , or I'll just curl up and die if he shows up . This colorful expression for collapsing or dying is often used hyperbolically (second example). [Early 1900s]

3. curl someone up . Kill someone, as in The sheriff said he'd curl up that outlaw . This usage originated as cowboy slang in the second half of the 1800s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

curl up

You can touch the tiny lanterns to hear a story in each scene or simply curl up in the soft green fuzzy chair, close the velvet curtains and let your imagination wander.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026

"Istanbulites are animal lovers," says 57-year-old Gaye Koselerden, adding, "They can even curl up on the most expensive duvet. No one would say a word."

From Barron's ● Jan. 27, 2026

At night, when the temperature dips below zero, you can put on your softest sweater and curl up with a good book in a number of reading nooks spread across the building.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

They are curled up inside tin-lined sanctuaries somewhere in southeastern Pennsylvania, not unlike how I curl up next to the air conditioner when it’s over 90 degrees.

From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2025

I curl up like a mouse—don’t move, don’t make a noise—and wait for the echoes to die.

From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari

Related Words

• cluster
• confer
• consult
• converge
• crouch
• cuddle
• gather
• snuggle