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

"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

After a long day, I find myself wishing I could curl up with French onion soup or tuck into a perfectly pink steak frites.

From Salon • Oct. 18, 2025

In either case, it’s hard to make out what’s going on or even which man has the advantage, as the combatants frequently curl up into a single lump of flesh.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 2, 2025

In the depths of winter most of us want to curl up in the warm, but not Laura Truelove.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2025

She’ll give me her big white bathrobe, and I’ll curl up on her bed, and she’ll read me some classic until I fall asleep.

From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon

Related Words

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