lip curl

or lip-curl

[ lip kurl ]

noun

1. Animal Behavior.
   1. in dogs, a lifting of the upper lip as a warning, either to humans or to other animals:

      In dog language, that lip curl is actually a peaceable signal—the dog is hoping the other dog understands that it wants to be left alone.

   2. Also lip curling. in deer and other artiodactyls, horses, and felines, an upward curling of the upper lip to aid the sense of smell by increasing the flow of air through the nostrils and exposing the auxiliary olfactory organs: a characteristic component of the flehmen response and sometimes also a sign of pain or symptom of disease.
2. in humans, an arching of one side of the upper lip, expressing either scorn or sexual interest:

   She could not speak of defectors and informers without a lip curl.

   He does a great Elvis impression—tantalizing lip curl and all.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lip curl¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

But I could see the president's chief of staff's lip curl.

From BBC

What she portrays is not his persona but his affect: the glib overconfidence, the lip curl of dismissiveness, the slow nods of fake understanding.

From New York Times

He closed his left eye to aim, which made his lip curl up on one side.

From Literature

Scores of intelligence agents turned to the West at that time, as defectors or informants, and Mr. Putin cannot speak of them without a lip curl of disgust.

From New York Times

It makes his lower lip curl out a bit, so I can see the very top of his skin tattoo.

From Literature