curl up

se blottir, se recroqueviller

S’asseoir ou s’allonger les jambes repliées contre le corps, souvent pour se sentir bien ou en sécurité.

En anglais simple : To sit or lie with your legs drawn close to your body, often to feel comfortable or safe.

• The cat curled up beside me.
• I like to curl up in bed with a book.
• He curled up under a blanket and fell asleep.

Comment l'utiliser : curl up with something (She curled up with a book.); curl up on/in something (The cat curled up on my lap.)

Synonymes : snuggle up

Contraires : stretch out

Expressions courantes : curl up in bed, curl up with someone

s’enrouler, se recroqueviller

Prendre la forme d’un rouleau serré ou devenir plus petit et tout plissé.

En anglais simple : To bend into a tight round shape or become smaller and wrinkled.

• Dry leaves curl up.
• The paper curled up near the hot lamp.
• The snake curled up beneath a rock.

Synonymes : coil, shrivel

Contraires : uncoil

Expressions courantes : curl up at edges, curl up when dry

boucler, friser

Prendre la forme de petites boucles ou courbes, surtout en parlant des cheveux.

En anglais simple : To develop small round or curved shapes, especially in hair.

• My hair curls up in the rain.
• The ends curled up as her hair dried.
• Does your hair curl up when it gets damp?

Synonymes : curl

Contraires : straighten

Expressions courantes : curl up naturally, curl up in humidity

boucler, friser

Donner aux cheveux ou à une autre matière la forme de petites boucles ou courbes.

En anglais simple : To make hair or another material form small round or curved shapes.

• Curl up the ends of your hair.
• The stylist curled up her hair for the wedding.
• You can curl up the ribbon with scissors.

Comment l'utiliser : curl something up (She curled the ends up with a heated brush.)

Synonymes : curl

Contraires : straighten

Expressions courantes : curl up hair, curl up the ends

enrouler, recroqueviller

Plier quelque chose pour former un rouleau serré, ou le rendre plus petit et tout plissé.

En anglais simple : To bend something into a tight round shape or make it smaller and wrinkled.

• Curl up the rope neatly.
• He curled up a strip of paper between his fingers.
• She curled the thin wire up into a small ring.

Comment l'utiliser : curl something up (Curl the wire up before putting it away.)

Synonymes : coil, roll up

Contraires : uncoil

Expressions courantes : curl up a wire, curl up a rope