arrimar

to move closer

arrimar(ah-rree-mahr)

transitive verb

1. (to reposition; often used with "a", "hacia", or "contra")

a. to move closer

¿Puedes arrimar el sillón hacia la ventana?

Can you move the armchair closer to the window?

b. to move nearer

Hacía tanto frío que arrimé el coche a la puerta para que se subieran mis abuelos.

It was so cold that I moved the car nearer the door for my grandparents to get in.

c. to bring closer

Arrima la silla a la mesa para que no te caiga la comida en la falda.

Why don't you bring your chair closer to the table so that you don't get food on your lap?

d. to bring nearer

Miguel arrimó las bocinas para que escucháramos la música.

Miguel brought the speakers nearer so that we could hear the music.

e. to pull up

Mi jefe me pidió que arrimara una silla y me sentara.

My boss asked me to pull up a chair and sit down.

f. to move up against (touching)

Tendrás más espacio si arrimas la cama a la pared.

You'll have more space if you move the bed up against the wall.

g. to put up against (touching)

Arrimamos las sillas a la pared para poder bailar.

We put the chairs up against the wall so that we could dance.

2.

(colloquial)

(to deal)

(Mexico)

(Spain)

a. to give

Le arrimaron una golpiza a Juan cuando lo asaltaron.

Juan was given quite a beating when he was mugged.

arrimarse

pronominal verb

3. (to get close; often used with "a")

a. to come closer

Arrímate más, que no te oigo.

Come closer; I can't hear you.

b. to move closer

Paula se arrimó a la fogata para calentarse.

Paula moved closer to the bonfire to get warm.

c. to come up to

Nicolás se arrimó a mí y me dio un beso en la frente.

Nicolas came up to me and kissed me on the forehead.

d. to go up to

Adela se arrimó al chico y le susurró algo al oído.

Adela went up to the boy and whispered something in his ear.

e. to snuggle up to

El perro se subió al sofá de un salto y se arrimó a mí para calentarse.

The dog jumped on to the sofa and snuggled up to me to get warm.

f.

no direct translation

No te arrimes a la vía.

Don't go too close to the track.

Hay una barrera que impide que la gente se arrime a la escultura.

There's a barrier that prevents people from getting too close to the sculpture.

4. (to seek security with; used with "a")

a. to seek the protection of

La mujer huyó de su marido para arrimarse a los suyos.

The woman fled from her husband to seek the protection of her own people.

5. (to join the household of; used with "a" or "en casa de")

(Latin America)

a. to go to stay with

Mi tío se arrimó en casa de mis abuelos, pero no ayuda en nada.

My uncle has gone to stay with my grandparents, but he doesn't help with anything.

b. to come to stay with

Me da miedo de que Luisa quiera arrimarse a mí si pierde la casa.

I'm worried that Luisa may want to come to stay with me if she loses her home.

c. to move in with

Yo ni los invité a quedarse en mi casa, y llegaron a arrimarse.

I didn't even invite them to stay, but they still moved in with me.

d. to go to live with

No entiendo por qué esta chica se ha arrimado a tus padres.

I don't understand why that girl has gone to live with your parents.

6.

(colloquial)

(to cohabit; often used with "a")

(Mexico)

a. to shack up

(colloquial)

Los dos se arrimaron hace 40 años pero nunca se casaron.

The two of them shacked up 40 years ago but never got married.

b. to shack up with

(colloquial)

Mi sobrino se ha arrimado a una mujer mayor que él.

My nephew has shacked up with an older woman.

c. to move in together

Cristina y Pedro han decidido arrimarse.

Cristina and Pedro have decided to move in together.

d. to move in with

No te recomiendo que te arrimes a él; sería mejor que te casaras.

I wouldn't recommend moving in with him; you'd be better to get married.

7.

(colloquial)

(to sponge; used with "a")

(Venezuela)

a. to scrounge off

A Marisol no le gusta estar sin medios. Preferiría arrimarse a algún hombre adinerado.

Marisol doesn't like not having money. She would rather scrounge off some wealthy man.