furl.

¹ American  

abbreviation

1. furlough.

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furl ² American  

[furl] / fɜrl /

verb (used with object)

1. to gather into a compact roll and bind securely, as a sail against a spar or a flag against its staff.

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verb (used without object)

1. to become furled.

noun

1. the act of furling.

2. something furled, as a roll.

idioms

1. furl in the bunt,  to furl (a square sail) by gathering canvas upward, so as to load the yard equally at all points.

2. furl in a body,  to furl (a square sail) with loose canvas gathered at the mast, so as to make a harbor furl.

furl British  

/ fɜːl /

verb

1. to roll up (an umbrella, a flag, etc) neatly and securely or (of an umbrella, flag, etc) to be rolled up in this way

2. (tr) nautical to gather in (a square sail)

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noun

1. the act or an instance of furling

2. a single rolled-up section

Other Word Forms

• furlable adjective
• furler noun

Etymology

Origin of furl

1550–60; compare Middle French ferler in same sense, perhaps representing Old French ferlier to chain, fasten, equivalent to fer firm (< Latin firmus ) + lier to bind (< Latin ligāre )

Example Sentences

They packed up their chairs and furled banners, as the makeshift tent city slowly transformed back into a standard campus plaza.

From Los Angeles Times

The baby’s tail or “fluke,” critical to swimming, was still furled from being compacted in utero.

From National Geographic

Near the bandstand, a group of people danced in a circle to Khmer music, dreamily furling their fingers and twisting their wrists.

From Los Angeles Times

The statue depicted a young boy, his chin up and hat tipped back, holding a furled Confederate flag to his side.

From Washington Post

There’s something called a buzz bud, a little furled blossom, on top.

From New York Times