CURL


Meaning of CURL in English

v. & n.

--v.

1. tr. & intr. (often foll. by up) bend or coil into a spiral; form or cause to form curls.

2 intr. move in a spiral form (smoke curling upwards).

3 a intr. (of the upper lip) be raised slightly on one side as an expression of contempt or disapproval. b tr. cause (the lip) to do this.

4 intr. play curling.

--n.

1. a lock of curled hair.

2 anything spiral or curved inwards.

3 a a curling movement or act. b the state of being curled.

4 a disease of plants in which the leaves are curled up.

Phrases and idioms:

curl up

1. lie or sit with the knees drawn up.

2 colloq. writhe with embarrassment or horror. make a person's hair curl colloq. shock or horrify a person. out of curl lacking energy.

Etymology: ME; earliest form crolled, crulled f. obs. adj. crolle, crulle curly f. MDu. krul

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.