CURL Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

View synonyms for

curl

[ kurl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

to form into coils or ringlets, as the hair.
to form into a spiral or curved shape; coil.
to adorn with, or as with, curls or ringlets.

verb (used without object)

to grow in or form curls or ringlets, as the hair.
to become curved or undulated.
to coil.
to play at the game of curling.
to progress in a curving direction or path; move in a curving or spiraling way:
The ball curled toward the plate.

noun

a coil or ringlet of hair.
anything of a spiral or curved shape, as a lettuce leaf, wood shaving, etc.
a coil.
the act of curling or state of being curled.
Plant Pathology.
1. the distortion, fluting, or puffing of a leaf, resulting from the unequal development of its two sides.
2. a disease so characterized.
Also called rotation. Mathematics.
1. a vector obtained from a given vector by taking its cross product with the vector whose coordinates are the partial derivative operators with respect to each coordinate.
2. the operation that produces this vector.
Weightlifting.
1. an underhand forearm lift in which the barbell, held against the thighs, is raised to the chest and then lowered while keeping the legs, upper arms, and shoulders taut.
2. a similar forearm lift using a dumbbell or dumbbells, usually from the side of the body to the shoulders.

verb phrase

to sit or lie down cozily:
to curl up with a good book.

curl

/ ��ɜː�� /

verb

intr (esp of hair) to grow into curves or ringlets
trsometimes foll byup to twist or roll (something, esp hair) into coils or ringlets
often foll by up to become or cause to become spiral-shaped or curved; coil
the heat made the leaves curl up
intr to move in a curving or twisting manner
intr to play the game of curling
curl one's lip
to show contempt, as by raising a corner of the lip

noun

a curve or coil of hair
a curved or spiral shape or mark, as in wood
the act of curling or state of being curled
any of various plant diseases characterized by curling of the leaves
Also calledrotrotation maths a vector quantity associated with a vector field that is the vector product of the operator ∇ and a vector function A , where ∇ = i ∂/∂ x + j ∂/�� y + k ∂/∂ z, i , j , and k being unit vectors. Usually written curl A , rot A Compare divergence gradient

Discover More

Other 51�Թ� Forms

��ܰ��·��·�� [kur, -lid-lee, kurld, -], adverb
��ܰ��Ļ�·�Ա�� noun
��t��·��ܰ�� verb
�ܲ�d��·��ܰ�� noun
�ܲ�d��·��ܰ�� verb
�ɱ��-��ܰ�� adjective

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of curl¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, apparently back formation from curled, variant of Middle English crulled (past participle) crul (adjective); compare Middle Dutch crullen “to curl”; cruller ”

Discover More

51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of curl¹

C14: probably from Middle Dutch crullen to curl; related to Middle High German krol curly, Middle Low German ��ū�� curly

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

curl one's lip, to assume or display an expression of contempt:
He curled his lip in disdain.
curl one's / the hair, to fill with horror or fright; shock:
Some of his stories about sailing across the Atlantic are enough to curl one's hair.

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

I bought a jheri curl wig because that was the big thing on the West Coast.

From

In a sport where her contortions are magic, she lay curled up in a ball.

From

Players slash toward the basket and curl around screens, forcing defenses into difficult switching scenarios.

From

The edges curl toward deep purple, a gradient of both decay and flavor.

From

The elderly woman gazes wistfully into the distance, her hands curled over a basket of tobacco, surrounded by the hundreds of cigarettes she has spent hours rolling by hand.

From

Related 51�Թ�s

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Browse