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Glite Dictionary
to kink up

to kink up

7.4
To curl tightly into small bends, as with hair or a rope
  • phrasal verb
  • /kɪŋk ʌp/
  • Informal
translation icon : enroscarse
  • After swimming, my hair tends to kink up and become difficult to manage.

Examples

  • "I always did love the way your hair kinks up in the wet," Frances says.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • If I get this job, I guarantee you'll never frizz or kink up.

    The Beautician and the Beast (1997)

  • When exposed to humidity, the thread will often kink up and lose its smooth texture.

  • Her curls kink up beautifully when she doesn't straighten them.

Synonyms

to kink
vsto kink up
3 5.4

To make a rope, wire or hose bend sharply

produces tightly curled shapes especially in fine fiber or thread
to frizz
vsto kink up
2 6.3

To make hair form a lot of small, tight curls

forms tight sharp twists in hair or thread
to crimp
vsto kink up
2 6.7

To make hair into small tight waves using a tool

creates tight curls without pressing or folding
to frizzle
vsto kink up
1 7.9

Make hair or material curl and look messy

creates tight curls by twisting rather than by heat or chemicals
to crape
vsto kink up
  • Archaic
9.9

To make hair or fabric form tight waves

focuses on curling thread or hair generally rather than waves
to ruck up
vsto kink up
8.4

To become wrinkled and folded into small ridges

involves curling into tight loops rather than loose wrinkles

Antonyms

to straighten out
11 2.9

To make something free of bends, twists, or knots

How Curly

to kink up
  • Informal
7.4
to coil
7 3.8
to wave
64 1.0

Surface Forms

kink up infinitive
kinked up past
kinked up past participle
kinking up present participle
kinks up third person singular

Morphology

kink + up

The meaning is directly built from 'kink' (to make a tight fold or bend) plus the particle 'up' indicating formation/completion, so 'kink up' transparently means 'to form into kinks or curl up tightly.' This verb+particle composition is a regular English pattern that a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer.

Etymology

The verb kink up comes from the picture of a sharp little bend, a kink, that makes rope or hair bend up into a tight curl or tangle. So it means 'to curl up tightly' or 'to get tangled'.