A round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals).

synonyms: coil, curlicue, gyre, ringlet, roll, scroll, whorl.

Roget 248: winding etc. v.; convolution, involution, circumvolution; wave, undulation, tortuosity, anfractuosity^†; sinuosity, sinuation^†; meandering, circuit, circumbendibus^†, twist, twirl, windings and turnings, ambages^†; torsion; inosculation^†; reticulation etc. (crossing) 219; rivulation^†; roughness etc. 256.    coil, roll, curl; buckle, spiral, helix, corkscrew, worm, volute, rundle; tendril; scollop^†, scallop, escalop^†; kink; ammonite, snakestone^†.    serpent, eel, maze, labyrinth.    knot.    ... show more

Roget 245: curvature, curvity^†, curvation^†; incurvature^†, incurvity^†; incurvation^†; bend; flexure, flexion, flection^†; conflexure^†; crook, hook, bought, bending; deflection, deflexion^†; inflection, inflexion^†; concameration^†; arcuation^†, devexity^†, turn, deviation, detour, sweep; curl, curling; bough; recurvity^†, recurvation^†; sinuosity etc. 248.    kink.    carve, arc, arch, arcade, vault, bow, crescent, half-moon, lunule^†, horseshoe, loop, crane neck; parabola, hyperbola; helix, spiral; catenary^†, festoon; conchoid^†, cardioid; caustic; tracery; arched ceiling, arched roof; bay window, bow window.    sine curve; spline, spline curve, spline function; obliquity etc. 217.    ... show more

Dutch: wervelwind, rol
Polish: rola, zwój

American chemist who with Richard Smalley and Harold Kroto discovered fullerenes and opened a new branch of chemistry (born in 1933).

synonyms: Robert Curl, Robert F. Curl, Robert Floyd Curl Jr..

A strand or cluster of hair.

synonyms: lock, ringlet, whorl.

Roget 256: roughness etc. adj.; tooth, grain, texture, ripple; asperity, rugosity^†, salebrosity^†, corrugation, nodosity^†; arborescence^† etc. 242; pilosity^†.    brush, hair, beard, shag, mane, whisker, moustache, imperial, tress, lock, curl, ringlet; fimbriae, pili, cilia, villi; lovelock; beaucatcher^†; curl paper; goatee; papillote, scalp lock.    plumage, plumosity^†; plume, panache, crest; feather, tuft, fringe, toupee.    wool, velvet, plush, nap, pile, floss, fur, down; byssus^†, moss, bur; fluff.    knot (convolution) 248.    ... show more

Dutch: rotatie, haarlok, lok, tres
Polish: kosmyk, pasemko

Form a curl, curve, or kink:
— The cigar smoke curled up at the ceiling.

synonyms: curve, kink.

Roget 258: fold, double, plicate^†, plait, crease, wrinkle, crinkle, crankle^†, curl, cockle up, cocker, rimple^†, rumple, flute, frizzle, frounce^†, rivel^†, twill, corrugate, ruffle, crimple^†, crumple, pucker; turn down, double down, down under; tuck, ruck^†, hem, gather.    ... show more

Roget 245: be curved, etc. adj.; curve, sweep, sway, swag, sag; deviate etc. 279; curl, turn; reenter.    render curved etc. adj.; flex, bend, curve, incurvate^†; inflect; deflect, scatter [Phys.]; refract (light) 420; crook; turn, round, arch, arcuate, arch over, concamerate^†; bow, curl, recurve, frizzle.    rotundity etc. 249; convexity etc. 250.    ... show more

Dutch: knikken

Shape one's body into a curl:
— She curled farther down under the covers.

synonyms: curl up, draw in.

Dutch: krullen, omkrullen

Wind around something in coils or loops.

synonyms: coil, loop.

Roget 248: be convoluted etc. adj.; wind, twine, turn and twist, twirl; wave, undulate, meander; inosculate^†; entwine, intwine^†; twist, coil, roll; wrinkle, curl, crisp, twill; frizzle; crimp, crape, indent, scollop^†, scallop, wring, intort^†; contort; wreathe etc. (cross) 219.    ... show more

Twist or roll into coils or ringlets:
— Curl my hair, please.

synonym: wave.

Play the Scottish game of curling.