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to shack up
01
(typically of an unmarried couple) to live together and have a sexual relationship
Disapproving
Informal
Grammatical Information
Composition
Simple
Action verb
Regular
Inseparable
Particle
up
Base verb
shack
Present tense
shack up
3rd person singular
shacks up
Present participle
shacking up
Past simple
shacked up
Past participle
shacked up
What does "to shack up" mean in relationship slang?
The phrase "to shack up" means to start living together in a romantic or sexual relationship, usually without being married. The structure comes from "shack," meaning a small or simple home, combined with "up" to suggest settling together in one place. The expression originally carried a slightly improper or scandalous tone, especially in older English, but is now often used casually when talking about couples moving in together.
Examples
They decided to shack up after dating for only a few months.
