French word

friser

Pronunciation

IPA/fʁize/

Meaning

  • verbcurl

Example

Ses cheveux frisent après la pluie.

Her hair curls after the rain.

Illustration for friser (curl)

More examples

Elle a frisé ses cheveux pour la fête.

She curled her hair for the party.

Core concept

Small ripples or curls forming along a surface, with the same image extending to something coming close to danger.

Common phrases

  • se friser les cheveux

    curl one's hair

  • friser la perfection

    come close to perfection

  • friser le ridicule

    border on the ridiculous

Similar words

boucler: Shape hair into distinct, loop-shaped curls.
onduler: Shape hair into gentle, flowing waves.

Definition in French

Faire apparaître ou subir de légères ondulations ou petites boucles; au figuré, être proche d'une situation (ex. friser le danger).

Word origin

Friser is an inherited French verb from Middle French friser, a word of Germanic origin associated with curling or crimping.

Usage tips

  • Friser is usually intransitive for hair or fabric, but friser le danger is transitive and means coming close to danger.

Other meanings

  • crimpverb
  • grazeverb
  • border onverb

Opposites

  • défriserstraightenverb
  • lissersmoothverb

Related words

  • frisécurlyadjective
  • frisurecurlnoun
  • frisottisfrizznoun

Word lists with this word