cluster = curl, ringlet, lock

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentence?

Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages.

cluster = curl, ringlet, lock

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

"Clusters" is not commonly used about hair, although it is not actually incorrect. "Bunches" would be more usual, I think. "Ringlets" is the usual way of describing hair curled into sausage-like shapes. "Locks" means hair in general, the same as "tresses". I once did a crossword puzzle in which one clue was "distressed" - the answer was "unlocked". Clever, yes?

The hairstyle you are describing is usually referred to as "sausage curls." If you refer to hair hanging in "clusters," I would picture hair gathered together in sections and secured by rubber bands or barrettes. It would be correct to simply say "her hair hung in sausage curls" or, if you want to be more descriptive, "her hair was elegantly coiffed in a cascade of sausage curls."