curly
having hair that forms curls
Having hair or fur that is not straight but makes many small round shapes.
[someone]/[something] has curly [hair/body part]
- She has long, curly hair that bounces when she walks.
- His curly beard makes him look older than he is.
- The dog’s curly fur needs to be brushed every day.
- My hair gets very curly in the rain.
- The little boy has tight, curly curls all over his head.
- My sister has short, curly hair.
- The baby’s curly hair is very cute.
- I brush my curly hair every morning.
- Her curly beard makes her costume look real.
- This dog has soft, curly fur.
having a curved, twisting shape
Having a shape with many curves and turns, not straight.
[something] is curly
- The pig’s curly tail wagged happily as it ran around the yard.
- She writes her name in big, curly letters that fill the whole page.
- He drew a long, curly line under the important sentence.
- In this code, you must close the function with curly brackets.
- The metal wire is shaped into a curly pattern around the mirror.
- The pig has a small, curly tail.
- Her handwriting is very curly and hard to read.
- He drew a curly line on the paper.
- Type a space after the curly bracket.
- The path on the map is curly, not straight.
difficult or tricky (informal)
In Australian and New Zealand English, describing a question or problem that is hard to answer or solve.
[something] is a curly [question/problem/one]
- That’s a curly question; I’ll need some time to think about it.
- The interviewers saved their curliest questions for the end.
- It was a pretty curly problem, but the team managed to solve it.
- You might get some curly ones in the exam, so read each question carefully.
- That exam question was really curly.
- The teacher asked a curly one at the end of the class.
- This is a curly problem for our small team.
- Some of the test questions were a bit curly.
- Base: curly
- Comparative: curlier
- Superlative: curliest
a curly one
1a difficult or tricky question
In Australian and New Zealand English, a question or problem that is hard to answer or solve.
- That’s a curly one; I’m not sure anyone knows the answer.
- The interviewer ended with a real curly one about future technology.
- Students were surprised when a curly one appeared in the middle of the test.
curly brackets
1the symbols { and }
The symbols { and }, often used in mathematics and computer programming.
- In this programming language, you must close each block with curly brackets.
- The formula inside the curly brackets is squared.
- Please replace the round brackets with curly brackets in your code.
curly fries
1spiral-shaped fried potato pieces
French fries made from potatoes cut into curly, spiral shapes.
- I ordered a burger with a side of curly fries.
- The kids love curly fries because they look fun and taste crispy.
- They serve curly fries only on the weekend menu.
curly hair
1hair that naturally forms curls
Hair that grows in many small round shapes instead of lying straight.
- She has thick curly hair that takes a long time to dry.
- People with curly hair often use special products to keep it soft and defined.
- His curly hair stood up in every direction when he woke up.
curly kale
1kale with tightly curled leaves
A kind of green vegetable (kale) that has many small, curly leaves.
- She made a salad with curly kale, apples, and nuts.
- Curly kale is often roasted in the oven to make healthy chips.
- We grow curly kale in the garden every winter.