- [intransitive, transitive] curl (something)
to form or make something form into a curl or curls 卷；（使）拳曲，鬈曲 Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- tightly
- slightly
- back
- …
- around
- round
- from
- …
- curled up
- curl (up) at the edges
- [intransitive, transitive]
to form or make something form into a curved shape （使）成拳曲状；蜷缩 
- (+ adv./prep.)
The cat curled into a ball and went to sleep. 那只猫蜷缩成一团睡着了。 🔊🔊 - curl something (+ adv./prep.)
She curled her legs up under her. 她盘腿坐着。 🔊🔊
Extra ExamplesTopics Colours and Shapesc1The photograph was brown and curling at the edges. 照片发黄了，边儿都卷了起来。 His fingers curled tightly around the steering wheel. 他的手指紧紧把住方向盘。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- tightly
- slightly
- back
- …
- around
- round
- from
- …
- curled up
- curl (up) at the edges
- (+ adv./prep.)
- [intransitive, transitive]
to move while forming into a twisted or curved shape; to make something do this （使）呈螺旋（或卷曲）状移动；（使）旋绕；缭绕 - (+ adv./prep.)
The smoke curled steadily upwards. 烟袅袅上升。 🔊🔊 The honeysuckle curled around the trunk of the apple tree. 蜜丝卷曲在苹果树的树干上。 Smoke was curling up from the chimney. 烟从烟囱里缭绕而上。 - curl something (+ adv./prep.)
He turned and curled the ball around the goalkeeper. 他转身把球一盘，绕过了守门员。 🔊🔊
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- tightly
- slightly
- back
- …
- around
- round
- from
- …
- curled up
- curl (up) at the edges
- (+ adv./prep.)
- [transitive, intransitive] curl (something)
if you curl your lip or your lip curls, you move your lip upwards and to the side to show that you think somebody/something is stupid or that you are better than they are 噘起（嘴唇）；撇（嘴）
Word Originlate Middle English: from obsolete crulle ‘curly’, from Middle Dutch krul.
Idioms
make somebody’s toes curl
to make somebody feel embarrassed or uncomfortable 使人尴尬；使人难为情 The man's broad smile made her toes curl. 那个男人咧大嘴笑让她感到不自在。