curly, a.
(ˈkɜːlɪ)
[f. curl n. + -y.]
1. Of hair: Disposed in curls or ringlets.
| 1772–84 Cook Voy. IV. iii. vi. (R.), Growing to a tolerable length, and very crisp and curly. 1818 Todd, Curly, inclining to curl; falling into ringlets. 1884 F. M. Crawford Rom. Singer I. 47 Running his fingers through his curly hair. |
2. Having or adorned with curls; having curled hair.
| 1827 G. Higgins Celtic Druids 65 Budda with his flat black face and curly head. 1859 Disraeli in Hansard Ser. iii. CLIV. 127 When we are juvenile and curly. |
3. a. Of a curled form; wavy, undulating; of plants, having curled leaves. curly maple (see curled ppl. a. 3 c).
| 1795 Southey Joan of Arc viii. 304 So rolls the swelling sea Its curly billows. 1814 Byron Corsair iii. xviii, The boats are darting o'er the curly bay. a 1845 Hood Fairy Tale vii, Cabbages and curly kale. 1909 G. S. Porter Girl of Limberlost xi. 218 In an expressed crate was a fine curly-maple dressing table. 1942 C. Weygandt Plenty of Pennsylvania 29 Curly maple is hard to come by. |
b. Cricket. Curling (see curl v.1 9 a).
| 1868 J. Lillywhite Cricketers' Comp. 54 Mr. Jupp..played Southerton's ‘curly’ deliveries with consummate skill. |
4. Of potatoes: Affected with curl (n. 4).
| 1791 Trans. Soc. Encourag. Arts IX. 63 A curly crop of Potatoes. |
5. Comb., as curly-brimmed, curly-coated, curly-haired, curly-headed, curly-pated, etc. adjs.; curly-pate, a curly headed person.
| 1795 Fate of Sedley I. 59 A curly-poled nymph from Otaheite. 1827 G. Higgins Celtic Druids 162 The flat-faced, curly-headed Budda. 1848 Dickens Dombey iv, A..merry boy..fair-faced, bright-eyed, and curly-haired. 1862 Fraser's Mag. 4 Yellow curly-pated children. 1868 Browning Ring & Bk. viii. 3 Seven and one's eight, old curly-pate! 1885 Bazaar 30 Mar. 1260/2 Jet black curly-coated retriever dog. 1890 Conan Doyle Firm of Girdlestone xviii. 142 Curly-brimmed hat. 1953 ‘N. Blake’ Dreadful Hollow 203 Both wore dark overcoats and those curly-brimmed Homburg hats. |