CURL

Pronunciation (US):

• 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.

• CURL (noun)

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:

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

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)

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:

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

Instance hypernyms:

chemist (a scientist who specializes in chemistry)

Meaning:

A strand or cluster of hair

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

lock; ringlet; whorl; curl

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))

• CURL (verb)

Meaning:

Form a curl, curve, or kink

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

curl; kink; curve

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

Meaning:

Shape one's body into a curl

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

curl up; curl; draw in

Context examples:

She curled farther down under the covers / She fell and drew in

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

bend; flex (form a curve)

Sentence frames:

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

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 (wrap 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

Meaning:

Twist or roll into coils or ringlets

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

wave; curl

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

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