hair-curling

comparative more hair-curling · superlative most hair-curling · alternative hair curling · alternative haircurling

1. idiomaticExciting, astonishing, frightening, or horrifying.

   If the walls . . . could talk, they would reveal some hair-curling secrets.

   2008 October 7, J. Gibson, E. Tadros, “A touch of nostalgia up for grabs”, in Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, retrieved 09 Nov 2010

   3 more examples

   But, first and foremost, "Retreat with Stilwell" is a rip snorting, spine tingling, hair curling story, and as such it is quite likely to hold you.

   1943 March 14, Arthur Otis, “Belden Pens a Hair-Curling Story of Disaster in Burma”, in Chicago Daily Tribune, retrieved 09 Nov 2010, page F10

   Many of Mr. Dahl's stories are hair-curling tales of man's inhumanity to man, particularly woman's to man.

   1960 February 7, Lewis Nichols, “In and Out of Books”, in New York Times, page BR8

   [T]he era of good feeling Carter has created in his party . . . could be a prelude to an activist presidency bent on shaking and changing the status quo with hair-curling audacity.

   1976 July 18, Eugene Patterson, “They're not saying ‘Jimmy Who?’”, in St. Petersburg Times, retrieved 09 Nov 2010

   Synonyms: hair-raising