1 C1 idiomatic slang
To draw oneself into a small, curved position.
"The child shrimped up under the blanket to keep warm."
inseparable
shrimp up
C1 slang inseparable intransitive
To curl or hunch up the body into a small, shrimp-like shape; very rare and dialectal.
In plain English
To make your body curl up small, like a shrimp.
What does "shrimp up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To become shaped like a shrimp — the image is transparent once explained.
Actually means
To make your body curl up small, like a shrimp.
Usage tip
Extremely rare and non-standard. Almost never encountered in written or spoken English. May appear in regional dialects. Learners should avoid this phrase in formal or standard contexts. Likely derived from the physical shape of a shrimp.
Words that pair with "shrimp up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
cold fear corner bed
How to conjugate "shrimp up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
shrimp up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
shrimps up
he/she/it
Past simple
shrimped up
yesterday
Past participle
shrimped up
have + pp
-ing form
shrimping up
continuous
Hear "shrimp up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "shrimp up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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