CURL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Curl mean? 

• CURL (noun)
  The noun CURL has 3 senses:

1. a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)

2. American chemist who with Richard Smalley and Harold Kroto discovered fullerenes and opened a new branch of chemistry (born in 1933)

3. a strand or cluster of hair

  Familiarity information: CURL used as a noun is uncommon.

• CURL (verb)
  The verb CURL has 5 senses:

1. form a curl, curve, or kink

2. shape one's body into a curl

3. wind around something in coils or loops

4. twist or roll into coils or ringlets

5. play the Scottish game of curling

  Familiarity information: CURL used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CURL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

coil; curl; curlicue; gyre; ringlet; roll; scroll; whorl

Hypernyms ("curl" is a kind of...):

round shape (a shape that is curved and without sharp angles)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "curl"):

corolla ((botany) the whorl of petals of a flower that collectively form an inner floral envelope or layer of the perianth)

calyx ((botany) the whorl of sepals of a flower collectively forming the outer floral envelope or layer of the perianth enclosing and supporting the developing bud; usually green)

verticil (a whorl of leaves growing around a stem)

Derivation:

curl (form a curl, curve, or kink)

curl (wind around something in coils or loops)

curl (shape one's body into a curl)

Sense 2

Meaning:

American chemist who with Richard Smalley and Harold Kroto discovered fullerenes and opened a new branch of chemistry (born in 1933)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Curl; Robert Curl; Robert F. Curl; Robert Floyd Curl Jr.

Instance hypernyms:

chemist (a scientist who specializes in chemistry)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A strand or cluster of hair

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

curl; lock; ringlet; whorl

Hypernyms ("curl" is a kind of...):

hair (a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "curl"):

sausage curl (a fat sausage-shaped curl)

forelock (a lock of hair growing (or falling) over the forehead)

crimp (a lock of hair that has been artificially waved or curled)

dreadlock (one of many long thin braids of hair radiating from the scalp; popularized by Rastafarians)

Holonyms ("curl" is a part of...):

coif; coiffure; hair style; hairdo; hairstyle (the arrangement of the hair (especially a woman's hair))

Derivation:

curl (twist or roll into coils or ringlets)

curly ((of hair) having curls or waves)

• CURL (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they curl    ... he / she / it curls   
Past simple: curled   
Past participle: curled   
-ing form: curling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Form a curl, curve, or kink

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

curl; curve; kink

Context example:

the cigar smoke curled up at the ceiling

Hypernyms (to "curl" is one way to...):

change surface (undergo or cause to undergo a change in the surface)

"Curl" entails doing...:

bend; deform; flex; turn; twist (cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

curl (a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Shape one's body into a curl

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

curl; curl up; draw in

Context example:

She fell and drew in

Hypernyms (to "curl" is one way to...):

bend; flex (form a curve)

Verb group:

attract; draw; draw in; pull; pull in (direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

curl (a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Wind around something in coils or loops

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

coil; curl; loop

Hypernyms (to "curl" is one way to...):

roll; twine; wind; wrap (arrange or or coil around)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence examples:

They curl the wire around the stick
The wires curl around the stick

Derivation:

curl (a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Twist or roll into coils or ringlets

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

curl; wave

Context example:

curl my hair, please

Hypernyms (to "curl" is one way to...):

twist (turn in the opposite direction)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "curl"):

crape; crimp; frizz; frizzle; kink; kink up (curl tightly)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They curl their hair

Derivation:

curl (a strand or cluster of hair)

curler (a mechanical device consisting of a cylindrical tube around which the hair is wound to curl it)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Play the Scottish game of curling

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "curl" is one way to...):

play (participate in games or sport)

Domain category:

athletics; sport (an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

curling (a game played on ice in which heavy stones with handles are slid toward a target)

 Context examples 

He laughed as he ran his hand through the clustering curls of his hair, and said gaily: Yes, I am on an expedition of duty.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

It has erect triangular-shaped ears and a heavily plumed tail curled over the back.

(American Eskimo Dog, NCI Thesaurus)

This time the sea looked a dark grey colour, and was overspread with curling waves and the ridges of foam.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

It has a crisp-textured, tightly curled or wavy outer coat lined with a protective undercoat.

(American Water Spaniel, NCI Thesaurus)

The longish silky coat may be wavy or with large curls, with a heavy mane at the neck.

(Borzoi, NCI Thesaurus)

Put one in mine then, that I wish all my curls cut off, and given round to my friends.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The long ears are covered with curls.

(Irish Water Spaniel, NCI Thesaurus)

I wish you could see him; he is very tall of his age, with sweet laughing blue eyes, dark eyelashes, and curling hair.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

His mate warned him irritably away, and he curled up and slept in the entrance.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Its plumed tail curls up over the back and down the side.

(Finnish Spitz, NCI Thesaurus)