carrer

Most common in the reflexive se carrer (dans un fauteuil), meaning to settle in comfortably, sinking back with a satisfied, relaxed posture. Also an older, more literary sense of squaring off a piece of material (wood, stone) into a right-angled shape.

• Il s'est carré dans son fauteuil avec un verre de vin. — He settled comfortably into his armchair with a glass of wine.
• Elle se carre toujours dans le canapé pour regarder ses séries. — She always sinks comfortably into the sofa to watch her shows.
• Le menuisier a carré la pièce de bois avant de la tailler. — The carpenter squared off the piece of wood before cutting it.

Learners sometimes wonder about carrer's dialectal variant carer, which means exactly the same thing — both are used, but carrer (double r) is the spelling most dictionaries and modern usage favor.

Often confused with carer.