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Curl   /kərl/   Listen
noun
Curl  n.  
1.
A ringlet, especially of hair; anything of a spiral or winding form. "Under a coronet, his flowing hair In curls on either cheek played."
2.
An undulating or waving line or streak in any substance, as wood, glass, etc.; flexure; sinuosity. "If the glass of the prisms... be without those numberless waves or curls which usually arise from the sand holes."
3.
A disease in potatoes, in which the leaves, at their first appearance, seem curled and shrunken.
Blue curls. (Bot.) See under Blue.


verb
Curl  v. t.  (past & past part. curled; pres. part. curling)  
1.
To twist or form into ringlets; to crisp, as the hair. "But curl their locks with bodkins and with braid."
2.
To twist or make onto coils, as a serpent's body. "Of his tortuous train, Curled many a wanton wreath in sight of Eve."
3.
To deck with, or as with, curls; to ornament. "Thicker than the snaky locks That curledMegaera." "Curling with metaphors a plain intention."
4.
To raise in waves or undulations; to ripple. "Seas would be pools without the brushing air To curl the waves."
5.
(Hat Making) To shape (the brim) into a curve.


Curl  v. i.  
1.
To contract or bend into curls or ringlets, as hair; to grow in curls or spirals, as a vine; to be crinkled or contorted; to have a curly appearance; as, leaves lie curled on the ground. "Thou seest it (hair) will not curl by nature."
2.
To move in curves, spirals, or undulations; to contract in curving outlines; to bend in a curved form; to make a curl or curls. "Cirling billows." "Then round her slender waist he curled." "Curling smokes from village tops are seen." "Gayly curl the waves before each dashing prow." "He smiled a king of sickly smile, and curled up on the floor."
3.
To play at the game called curling. (Scot.)





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Curl" Quotes from Famous Books



... Connie would grow out of it. Meanwhile you could see he wouldn't. Mr. Hancock had red whiskers, and his face squatted down in his collar, instead of rising nobly up out of it like Papa's. It looked as if it was thinking things that made its eyes bulge and its mouth curl over and slide like a drawn loop. When you talked about Mr. Hancock, Papa gave a funny laugh as if he was something improper. He said Connie ought to ...
— Life and Death of Harriett Frean • May Sinclair
... A slight curl might be seen playing around the dirty lip of Moses junior at this parental ignorance of the immortal Will: a stern sacrifice of filial reverence ...
— Blackwoods Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 59, No. 365, March, 1846 • Various
... are not a very enthusiastic or grateful young woman," said he at last tweaking a curl that hung low on her cheek. "Here I am inviting you to tour the world with me and all you say is: 'I'll think about it!' How's ...
— The Story of Glass • Sara Ware Bassett
... many slices of bread as you require. Wipe enough oysters to cover them and season with pepper and salt. Put a little hot water over the bread and place in a very hot oven, until the edges of the oysters curl. Serve hot, ...
— Things Mother Used To Make • Lydia Maria Gurney
... lay over them. Sentiment was more popular then than it is now, and, as do all beginners, I scrupulously followed fashion. Generally speaking, to be a heroine of mine was fatal. However naturally her hair might curl—and curly hair, I believe, is the hall-mark of vitality; whatever other indications of vigorous health she might exhibit in the first chapter, such as "dancing eyes," "colour that came and went," "ringing laughter," "fawn-like agility," she was tolerably certain, poor girl, ...
— Paul Kelver • Jerome Klapka, AKA Jerome K. Jerome


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