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Entry 11 senses · 3 variants Webster, 1913

Curl

/(kûrl)/ · IPA /kɜɹl/
01 v. t. To twist or form into ringlets; to crisp, as the hair.
imp. & p. p. Curled; p. pr. & vb. n. Curling
  1. 1.
    To twist or form into ringlets; to crisp, as the hair.
    “But curl their locks with bodkins and with braid.” — Cascoigne.
  2. 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.” — Milton.
  3. 3.
    To deck with, or as with, curls; to ornament.
    “Thicker than the snaky locks That curledMegæra.” — Milton.
    “Curling with metaphors a plain intention.” — Herbert.
  4. 4.
    To raise in waves or undulations; to ripple.
    “Seas would be pools without the brushing air To curl the waves.” — Dryden.
  5. 5.
    To shape (the brim) into a curve.(Hat Making)
02 v. i. 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 a…
  1. 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.” — Shak.
  2. 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.
    “Then round her slender waist he curled.” — Dryden.
    “Curling smokes from village tops are seen.” — Pope.
    “Gayly curl the waves before each dashing prow.” — Byron.
    “He smiled a king of sickly smile, and curled up on the floor.” — Bret Harte.
  3. 3.
    To play at the game called curling.[Scot.]
03 n. A ringlet, especially of hair; anything of a spiral or winding form.
  1. 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.” — Milton.
  2. 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.” — Sir I. Newton.
  3. 3.
    A disease in potatoes, in which the leaves, at their first appearance, seem curled and shrunken.
Phrases & compounds
Blue curls — See under Blue.