Curling the Sport Is Named for the Path of the Stone
To curl is to form into a curve or spiral. The winter sport takes its name from the way the stone bends.
To curl is to form into a curve, ring or spiral. The Scottish winter sport is named for what the stone does: a spinning stone bends, or curls, as it travels, and sweepers polish the ice ahead to alter how far and how much it moves. The word describes the physics, not the equipment. Weightlifting uses *curl* for a lifting motion that arcs, and a *curl* in mathematics measures the rotation in a field.
- To form a curve. *Curl the ribbon.*
- A ringlet of hair. *A stray curl.*
- The winter sport. *A curling match.*
- A lifting movement. *A bicep curl.*
- Middle English — *crulle*, curly. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | curl | Curling. |
| Noun | curl | A curl. |
| Adjective | curly | Curly. |
| Noun | curler | A curler. |
| Sport | curling | Curling. |
- Her hair curls in the damp.Hair.
- The stone curled towards the house.Sport.
- He curled up on the sofa.Posture.
Why sweeping works in curling
- The ice is pebbled, with tiny frozen droplets on the surface
- A stone rides on those pebbles, not on flat ice
- Sweeping briefly melts the pebble tops into a thin film
- That reduces friction, so the stone travels further and curls less
- Sweepers cannot speed a stone up, only slow its decay
Middle English *crulle*, curly, probably from Middle Dutch *krul*.
Why is the sport called curling?
Because a spinning stone bends, or curls, as it slides down the ice. The name describes the stone's path.
What does sweeping actually do?
It briefly melts the tops of the ice pebbles into a thin film, reducing friction so the stone travels further and curls less.