curl

[[t]kɜrl[/t]]

v. t.

1) to form into coils or ringlets, as the hair

2) to form into a spiral or curved shape; coil

3) to adorn with or as if with curls or ringlets

4) to grow in or form curls or ringlets, as the hair

5) to become curved or undulated

6) to coil

7) gam to play the game of curling

8) to move or progress in a curving direction or path

9) phv curl up, to sit or lie down cozily:

to curl up with a good book[/ex]

10) a coil or ringlet of hair

11) anything of a spiral or curved shape

12) a coil

13) the act of curling or the state of being curled

14) ppa any disease of plants characterized by curling of the leaves

15) math.

a) a vector obtained from a given vector by taking its cross product with the vector whose coordinates are the partial derivative operators with respect to each coordinate

b) the operation that produces this vector

16) spo a forearm lift in which a weight is raised from the level of the thighs to the chest or shoulders while keeping the legs, upper arms, and shoulders taut

•

- curl one's lip

Etymology: 1400–50; appar. back formation from curled, metathetic var. of ME crulled (ptp.) crul (adj.)