curl

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to form a curl, curve, or kink

   The cigar smoke curled up at the ceiling.

2. 2
   verb

   to play the Scottish game of curling

   In preparation for the Winter Olympics, the team curled non-stop.

3. 3
   verb

   to twist or roll into coils or ringlets

   curl my hair, please

4. 4
   verb

   to shape one's body into a curl

   They curled farther down under the covers.

5. 5
   noun

   A curving piece or lock of hair; a ringlet.

   My hair doesn't have much curl.

6. 6
   noun

   A curved stroke or shape.

   […] the backs of their necks and their forelegs are decorated with curls and their necks and bodies are covered with fine, undulating lines.

7. 7
   noun

   A spin making the trajectory of an object curve.

   It is possible to use the wind which blows from the left to the right by playing well into the wind with the slightest bit of curl on the ball[…]

8. 8
   noun

   Any exercise performed by bending the arm, wrist, or leg on the exertion against resistance, especially those that train the biceps.

   Now do a curl and an overhead press, keeping your palms facing in.

Etymology

From metathesis of Middle English crulle (“curled, curly”), of uncertain origin but probably from an unrecorded Old English word or from Middle Dutch crul, crulle (“curl”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kruzlǭ (“bent or crooked object, curl”), connected to *krūsą (“curl”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Krulle (“curl, lock”), West Frisian krul (“curl”), Dutch krul (“curl”), German Low German Krull (“curl”), dialectal German Krolle (“curl”), Danish krølle (“curl”), Norwegian Bokmål krøll (“curl”). Related also to Saterland Frisian Kruus (“curl”), German kraus (“frizzy, crum…