curls

9 definitions • 15 examples

a piece of hair that grows or has been formed into a curving shape, or something that is the same shape as this:

tight/loose curls

in curls Her hair fell in curls over her shoulders.

Curls of smoke were rising from the chimney.

the curved shape in which a ball moves when it is hit or kicked in a particular way:

The curl on the shot sent it looping around the keeper into the far corner of the net.

an exercise using weights in which you move your arm or leg from straight to bent and back:

bicep curl She uses 5-pound weights for bicep curls.

Twice a week, do both leg extensions and leg curls on a weight machine.

to make something into the shape of a curl, or to grow or change into this shape:

curl naturally Does your hair curl naturally, or is it permed?

curl something around something A new baby will automatically curl its fingers around any object it touches.

to make a ball move in a curved shape by hitting or kicking it in a particular way or of a ball, to move in this way:

He curled the ball into the top right hand corner.

Peterson's free-kick curled just wide.

to show by an upward movement of one side of your mouth that you feel no respect for something or someone:

Her lip curled at what he said.

to play the sport of curling (= a game played on ice in which stones are slid towards a target):

"Learn to curl" sessions teach you the basics of curling.

a piece of hair having a curving shape, like part of a circle, or something else having a circular shape:

[ C ] He loved that dark curl at the back of her neck.

[ C ] We watched the curls of smoke rise from his pipe.

to form or cause something to form a curving or twisted shape:

[ T ] If I don’t curl my hair, it looks too stringy.