This is the 13430th most frequent Russian word.
накручивают
"Twist," "wind," or "inflate (as in exaggerate)."
In this sentence, 'накручивают' refers to the action of curling hair, using physical effort like wrapping strands around a curler or tool.
Они накручивают волосы перед вечеринкой.
They are curling their hair before the party.
Here, 'накручивают' is used metaphorically to describe stirring up emotions or tension among people in a psychological context.
Начальник накручивает сотрудников, нагнетая атмосферу.
The manager is agitating the employees, escalating the tension.
In this usage, 'накручивают' illustrates the action of incrementally building up or adjusting a setting, like speed, intensity, or measure.