curl

IPA/kɜːl/

KK[kˈɚl]IPA/kɝːl/

curlsingular
curlsplural

1.nounA2

Definition

a part of your hair that naturally grows in a rounded, twisting form, or any object or mark that has a similar curved shape

Example

Sana ran her fingers through the natural curls of her hair after the shower.

natural curls — collocation for describing hair shape

A curl of gray smoke rose from the chimney into the cold morning air.

curl of [substance] — describes smoke, steam, or ribbon

Common collocations

tight curls
loose curls
natural curls
curl of hair
curl of smoke

Synonyms

ringlet
specifically a small, tight curl of hair; more poetic and less common in everyday speech
spiral
describes a shape that winds outward or inward like a spring; broader than curl and not used for hair
coil
a series of circles wound around each other; suggests a tighter, more even pattern than a curl

Grammar Patterns

curl + of + substance

adjective + curls (tight/loose/natural)

Usage Note

Countable noun. Most often describes hair, but also works for smoke, ribbon, paper edges, and decorative marks. Not used for abstract mathematical curves, such as the shape of a graph.

Common Mistakes

I like the curl of her smile.

I like the curve of her smile.

'curl' is for rounded, spiral shapes (hair, ribbon, smoke); 'curve' is for general bending lines (smiles, roads, graphs).

2.nounB2

Definition

the curved path a ball follows when it is struck or thrown with a spinning motion, especially in football, tennis, or basketball

Example

The footballer practiced the curl of the ball around the defensive wall every afternoon.

the curl of the ball — ball's curved flight path

Caio watched the curl on the tennis ball as it spun past his racket.

Common collocations

curl on the ball
curl of the ball
wicked curl
tight curl

Synonyms

spin
refers to the rotation of the ball itself, not the curved path it creates
curve
a more general word for any bending path; 'curl' specifically suggests spin-induced movement

Grammar Patterns

the curl + of + the ball

adjective + curl (wicked/perfect/tight)

Usage Note

Common in sports commentary, especially for football (soccer), tennis, cricket, and bowling. The definite article 'the' is typically used: 'the curl on the ball.'

3.nounB2

Definition

a strength-training movement in which you bend only one joint — usually the elbow or knee — to lift a weight

Example

Ari added three sets of bicep curls to his upper-body workout routine.

bicep curls — most common curl exercise

The trainer showed Noa how to perform a hamstring curl on the machine.

Common collocations

bicep curls
hamstring curls
leg curls
do curls
sets of curls

Synonyms

exercise
a much broader term; curl is a specific type of exercise
lift
any weight-raising movement; curl is one kind of lift

Grammar Patterns

[body part] + curl

do + number + curls

Usage Note

Almost always used in compound form with the body part named first: 'bicep curl,' 'leg curl,' 'wrist curl.' Rarely appears alone without specifying the joint. The plural 'curls' is very common when referring to a set of repetitions.

Common Mistakes

I did ten curls of my arm.

I did ten bicep curls.

The body part must be specified; 'curls' alone is not specific enough in fitness contexts.

IPA/kɜːl/

KK[kˈɚl]IPA/kɜːrl/

curlpresent simple I / you / we / they
curlshe / she / it
curledpast simple
curling-ing form

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1

Definition

to bend or twist something into a rounded or spiral shape, or to take on such a shape naturally — for example, curling a strand of hair around your finger, or watching a dried leaf curl at the edges

Example

Yumi curled a strand of her long hair around her finger while she was thinking.

curl + around — shows gentle wrapping motion

The autumn leaves began to curl at the edges as they dried on the ground.

curl at the edges — describes material curling naturally

Common collocations

curl around
curl up
curl into a ball
curl tightly
curl naturally

Synonyms

coil
suggests winding in even, concentric circles; more precise than curl
twist
implies turning two or more strands together or rotating something out of its natural shape
bend
a more general word; does not suggest the rounded, spiral quality of a curl

Antonyms

straighten
to make something flat or straight, the opposite of curling

Grammar Patterns

curl + object

curl + around/into/toward + object

curl up + adverb

Usage Note

Can be transitive (you curl something) or intransitive (something curls). The phrasal verb curl up is very common for describing a person, animal, or leaf settling into a rounded shape. Also used for hair that naturally grows in waves: 'Her hair curls easily in humid weather.'

Common Mistakes

She curled the paper into a ball and threw it.

She crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it.

'Curl' describes gentle bending into curves or spirals, not crushing or compacting into a tight ball.

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2

Definition

to strike or throw a ball so that it follows a bending path due to spin, or for a ball to travel in such a curved way

Example

The midfielder curled the ball over the goalkeeper and into the top corner of the net.

curl [ball] over/into — trajectory pattern before complement

Tariro curled a forehand shot across the court, and the ball landed just inside the line.

curl + forehand shot — tennis-specific use of the verb

Common collocations

curl the ball
curl a shot
curl a pass
curl over the wall
curl into the net

Synonyms

bend
a more general term for any curved trajectory; curl is specifically used when spin causes the curve
curve
very similar in meaning; 'curl' is preferred in British football, 'curve' is more common in American baseball and basketball

Grammar Patterns

curl + the ball + preposition

ball + curls + adverb

Usage Note

Transitive when a player deliberately spins the ball; intransitive when describing the ball's natural movement. Most common in British football commentary and less frequent in American English contexts.

3.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2

Definition

to signal scorn or a sense of superiority by lifting a corner of your lips in a twisted expression

Example

When the politician made his promise, Adina curled her lip in disbelief.

curl one's lip — facial expression for contempt or doubt

Soraya's lip curled as she read the rude comment on the review page.

Common collocations

curl one's lip
lip curls
curl in disgust
curl in contempt

Synonyms

sneer
a verb that captures the same contemptuous expression more directly, without needing an object noun
mock
broader in meaning; includes verbal teasing and imitation, not just facial expression

Antonyms

smile
raises the corners of the mouth but signals warmth or pleasure, not contempt

Grammar Patterns

curl + one's + lip

lip + curl + adverb

Usage Note

Almost always used with 'lip' as either the object ('curl your lip') or the subject ('her lip curled'). Rarely used with any other body part. The expression is informal and conveys a sense of superiority or scorn.

Common Mistakes

He curled his eyebrow at the suggestion.

He raised his eyebrow at the suggestion.' or ✅ 'He curled his lip at the suggestion.

Only the lip curls to show disrespect; 'curl' is not used with other facial features in this sense.

4.verbintransitiveC1

Definition

to take part in the winter sport of curling, where players slide heavy granite stones across ice toward a circular scoring area

Example

Every winter, Élise and her teammates curl at the local ice rink every Saturday morning.

curl at [location] — intransitive verb for playing the sport

Christopher learned to curl during a trip to Scotland, where the sport first began.

Common collocations

curl for a team
curl at a rink
learn to curl

Grammar Patterns

curl + at [location]

curl + for [team]

Usage Note

Intransitive only. The noun 'curling' (the name of the sport) is far more common than the verb form. When used as a verb, it typically appears in contexts where the sport has already been introduced.

Phrasal verbs

be curled up

phrasal verb

To sit or lie with your body bent and your arms and legs close to your body.

The cat was curled up on the sofa.

After the long walk, Maya was curled up in bed.

curl up

phrasal verb

To move into a position where your body is bent and your arms and legs are close to your body.

The child curled up under the blanket.

Why did you curl up on the floor?

Idioms

Robert Floyd Curl

idiom

(1933–2022) American chemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996 for the discovery of fullerenes, a new form of carbon molecule known as buckyballs

Robert Floyd Curl shared the 1996 Nobel Prize with Harold Kroto and Richard Smalley for discovering a new form of carbon.

make somebody’s toes curl

idiom

To cause someone to feel very embarrassed or awkward.

His terrible singing at the party made my toes curl.

Did that awkward silence make your toes curl too?

Word family

curly
adjectiveA2
curled
adjectiveB1
curling
nounB2
curler
nounB2
uncurl
verbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These four words overlap with 'curl' but each brings a different emphasis. Coil suggests even, concentric circles wound around a central object — you coil a rope on a deck, not curl it. Twist implies turning separate strands together or rotating something along its axis, as in twisting strands of hair into a braid; it can also mean distorting something's shape. Wind focuses on wrapping a long, flexible object around something repeatedly, like winding a scarf around your neck; it has a gentler, more continuous feel than twist. Spiral describes a widening or narrowing circular path, like a bird spiralling upward on a thermal. For everyday use, curl is the most neutral choice for hair and gentle curves: 'She curled her hair with an iron.' If the action involves tight, even circles around an object, use coil: 'She coiled the garden hose on the hook.' Choose twist when two ends or strands are turned together: 'He twisted the two wires to connect them.'

coil ↗twist ↗wind ↗spiral ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

curl up
curl around
curl into a ball

Prepositions

Etymology

GermanicMiddle DutchEnglish

The word 'curl' first appeared in English around the 14th century, likely from an earlier Germanic source meaning 'bent' or 'crooked.' It is related to the Middle Dutch 'krul' (curly) and the Old High German 'kroll,' which described hair that was naturally wavy or twisted. The modern spelling settled by the 16th century. The sports sense — both the curved path of a ball and the winter sport of curling — developed later in Scotland, where curling stones were said to 'curl' across the ice, and the name stuck. By the 19th century, 'curl' had also become the standard term for weight-training exercises that bend a single joint.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1 Noun

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curl

curl — noun

1. a part of your hair that naturally grows in a rounded, twisting form, or any obj

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. the curved path a ball follows when it is struck or thrown with a spinning motio

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

3. a strength-training movement in which you bend only one joint — usually the elbo

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

curl — verb

1. to bend or twist something into a rounded or spiral shape, or to take on such a

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. to strike or throw a ball so that it follows a bending path due to spin, or for

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

3. to signal scorn or a sense of superiority by lifting a corner of your lips in a

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

4. to take part in the winter sport of curling, where players slide heavy granite s

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

be curled up

curl up

Robert Floyd Curl

make somebody’s toes curl

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

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