curve

curve

 (kûrv)

n.

1.

a. A line that deviates from straightness in a smooth, continuous fashion.

b. A surface that deviates from planarity in a smooth, continuous fashion.

c. Something characterized by such a line or surface, especially a rounded line or contour of the human body.

2. A relatively smooth bend in a road or other course.

3.

a. A line representing data on a graph.

b. A trend derived from or as if from such a graph: "Once again, the politicians are behind the curve" (Ted Kennedy).

4. A graphic representation showing the relative performance of individuals as measured against each other, used especially as a method of grading students in which the assignment of grades is based on predetermined proportions of students.

5. Mathematics

a. The graph of a function on a coordinate plane.

b. The intersection of two surfaces in three dimensions.

c. The graph of the solutions to any equation of two variables.

6. Baseball A curve ball.

7. Slang Something that is unexpected or designed to trick or deceive.

v. curved, curv·ing, curves

v.intr.

To move in or take the shape of a curve: The path curves around the lake.

v.tr.

1. To cause to curve.

2. Baseball To pitch (a ball) with a curve.

3. To grade (students, for example) on a curve.

---

[From Middle English, curved, from Latin curvus; see sker- in Indo-European roots. N., sense 6, short for curve ball.]

---

curv′ed·ness n.

curv′y adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

curve

(kɜːv)

n

1. a continuously bending line that has no straight parts

2. something that curves or is curved, such as a bend in a road or the contour of a woman's body

3. the act or extent of curving; curvature

4. (Mathematics) maths

a. a system of points whose coordinates satisfy a given equation; a locus of points

b. the graph of a function with one independent variable

5. (Mathematics) a line representing data, esp statistical data, on a graph: an unemployment curve.

6. ahead of the curve ahead of the times; ahead of schedule

7. behind the curve behind the times; behind schedule

8. (Tools) short for French curve

vb

to take or cause to take the shape or path of a curve; bend

[C15: from Latin curvāre to bend, from curvus crooked]

ˈcurvy adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

curve

(kɜrv)

n., v. curved, curv•ing,
adj. n.

1. a continuously bending line, without angles.

2. the act or extent of curving.

3. any curved outline, form, thing, or part.

4. a curved section of a road, railroad track, path, etc.

5. Also called curve′ ball`. a baseball pitch delivered with a spin that causes the ball to veer from a normal straight path, away from the side from which it was thrown.

6. a graphic representation of the variations effected in something by the influence of changing conditions; graph.

7. Math. a collection of points whose coordinates are continuous functions of a single independent variable.

8. a misleading or deceptive trick.

9. an academic grading system based on the scale of performance of the group, so that those performing better, regardless of their actual knowledge, receive higher grades: to mark on a curve.

10. a curved guide used in drafting.

v.i.

11. to bend in a curve; take the course of a curve.

v.t.

12. to cause to curve.

13. to grade on a curve.

14. to pitch a curve to in baseball.

adj.

15. curved.

Idioms:

1. ahead of (or behind) the curve, at the forefront of (or lagging behind) recent developments, trends, etc.

2. throw someone a curve, to take someone by surprise, esp. so as to cause chagrin.

[1565–75; (< Middle French) < Latin curvus crooked, bent, curved]

curv′y, adj. curv•i•er, curv•i•est.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

curve

(kûrv)

1. A line or surface that bends in a smooth, continuous way without sharp angles.

2. The graph of a function on a coordinate plane. In this technical sense, straight lines, circles, and waves are all curves.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

curve

Past participle: curved
Gerund: curving

Imperative

curve

curve

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	curve - the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes curved shape bell-shaped curve, Gaussian curve, Gaussian shape, normal curve - a symmetrical curve representing the normal distribution meander - a bend or curve, as in a stream or river line - a length (straight or curved) without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point closed curve - a curve (such as a circle) having no endpoints S-shape - a double curve resembling the letter S catenary - the curve theoretically assumed by a perfectly flexible and inextensible cord of uniform density and cross section hanging freely from two fixed points Cupid's bow - the double curve of the upper lip when considered to resemble Cupid's bow undulation, wave - an undulating curve extrados - the exterior curve of an arch gooseneck - something in a thin curved form (like the neck of a goose) intrados - the interior curve of an arch bend, turn, crook, twist - a circular segment of a curve; "a bend in the road"; "a crook in the path" crotchet, hook - a sharp curve or crook; a shape resembling a hook envelope - a curve that is tangent to each of a family of curves arc - a continuous portion of a circle crenation, crenature, crenel, crenelle, scallop - one of a series of rounded projections (or the notches between them) formed by curves along an edge (as the edge of a leaf or piece of cloth or the margin of a shell or a shriveled red blood cell observed in a hypertonic solution etc.) spiral - a plane curve traced by a point circling about the center but at increasing distances from the center helix, spiral - a curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone and cuts the element at a constant angle perversion - a curve that reverses the direction of something; "the tendrils of the plant exhibited perversion"; "perversion also shows up in kinky telephone cords" sinuosity, sinuousness - having curves; "he hated the sinuosity of mountain roads" arch - a curved shape in the vertical plane that spans an opening bell shape, campana, bell - the shape of a bell arc, bow - something curved in shape crescent - any shape resembling the curved shape of the moon in its first or last quarters quadric, quadric surface - a curve or surface whose equation (in Cartesian coordinates) is of the second degree line roulette, roulette - a line generated by a point on one figure rolling around a second figure straight line - a line traced by a point traveling in a constant direction; a line of zero curvature; "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line"
	2.	curve - a line on a graph representing data regression curve, regression line - a smooth curve fitted to the set of paired data in regression analysis; for linear regression the curve is a straight line graph, graphical record - a visual representation of the relations between certain quantities plotted with reference to a set of axes line - a length (straight or curved) without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point
	3.	curve - a pitch of a baseball that is thrown with spin so that its path curves as it approaches the batter breaking ball, curve ball, bender pitch, delivery - (baseball) the act of throwing a baseball by a pitcher to a batter
	4.	curve - the property possessed by the curving of a line or surface curvature shape, configuration, conformation, contour, form - any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline); "he could barely make out their shapes" curliness, waviness - (of hair) a tendency to curl straightness - (of hair) lack of a tendency to curl
	5.	curve - curved segment (of a road or river or railroad track etc.) bend blind bend, blind curve - a curve or bend in the road that you cannot see around as you are driving elbow - a sharp bend in a road or river hairpin bend - a U-shaped bend in a road road, route - an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation segment, section - one of several parts or pieces that fit with others to constitute a whole object; "a section of a fishing rod"; "metal sections were used below ground"; "finished the final segment of the road" river - a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek); "the river was navigable for 50 miles"
Verb	1.	curve - turn sharply; change direction abruptly; "The car cut to the left at the intersection"; "The motorbike veered to the right" sheer, slew, slue, swerve, trend, veer, cut turn - change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense; "Turn towards me"; "The mugger turned and fled before I could see his face"; "She turned from herself and learned to listen to others' needs" peel off - leave a formation yaw - swerve off course momentarily; "the ship yawed when the huge waves hit it"
	2.	curve - extend in curves and turns; "The road winds around the lake"; "the path twisted through the forest" wind, twist be - have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun); "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer" circumvolute - wind or turn in volutions, especially in an inward spiral, as of snail spiral - form a spiral; "The path spirals up the mountain" snake - form a snake-like pattern; "The river snakes through the valley"
	3.	curve - form an arch or curve; "her back arches"; "her hips curve nicely" arc, arch camber - curve upward in the middle bend, flex - form a curve; "The stick does not bend"
	4.	curve - bend or cause to bend; "He crooked his index finger"; "the road curved sharply" crook recurve - curve or bend (something) back or down bend, flex - form a curve; "The stick does not bend"
	5.	curve - form a curl, curve, or kink; "the cigar smoke curled up at the ceiling" curl, kink change surface - undergo or cause to undergo a change in the surface

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

curve

noun

1. bend, turn, loop, arc, curvature, camber a curve in the road

verb

1. bend, turn, wind, twist, bow, arch, snake, arc, coil, swerve The track curved away below him.

Related words
adjective sinuous

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

curve

noun

Something bent:

bend, bow, crook, curvature, round, turn.

verb

1. To swerve from a straight line:

angle, arc, arch, bend, bow, crook, round, turn.

2. To have or cause to have a curved or sinuous form or surface:

curl, undulate, wave.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

إنحِناءمُنْعَطَفيَنْحَني

křivkaohnoutohybtočit sezatáčka

buegå i en buekrummekrumningkurve

Kurvesich krümmenBiegung

kurbo

curvaencorvarhacer curvatorcersevuelta

kaarikaarrekaartaakäyrä

courbetournanttournerviragecourber

görbekanyarulat

beygjabeygja, sveigjabogi, boglína

curvacurvarecurvaturafare una curva

daryti lankstągražiõs figūrosišlenktaskreivėlankstas

izliektizliektiesizlocītieslīka līnijalīkne

afbuigencurvekromme

bøye segbrystlinjebue seghoftelinjeveisving

криваяповорот

krivkazatočiť sa

ovinekzavijati

böjakrökakurva

dönemeçeğ mekeğrikıvırmakkıvrılmak

弯曲曲线

curve

[kɜːv]

A. N (gen) → curva f

B. VT [+ spine, back] → encorvar, doblar

C. VI [road, line etc] → torcerse, hacer curva; [surface] → combarse
the walls curve inward/outward → las paredes están combadas hacia dentro/fuera
the road curves round the mountain → la carretera va haciendo curvas or dando vueltas alrededor de la montaña
the boomerang curved through the air → el bumerán describió or hizo una curva en el aire
a wide, curving staircase → una amplia escalera en curva

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

curve

[ˈkɜː^rv]

n

(= shape) → courbe f

(= bend) (in the road) → tournant m, virage m

(on graph) → courbe f

(mainly US) to throw sb a curve → prendre qn de court

vt → courber

vi [line, surface, arch] → s'incurver; [road] → faire une courbecurve ball n (mainly US) to throw sb a curve ball → prendre qn de court

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

curve

n → Kurve f; (of body, vase etc) → Rundung f, → Wölbung f; (of river) → Biegung f; (of archway) → Bogen m; there’s a curve in the road → die Straße macht einen Bogen; the price curve → die Preiskurve; her curves (inf) → ihre Kurven or Rundungen pl (inf)

vt → biegen; (= build with a curve) arch, roof, side of ship → wölben; gravity curves the path of light → die Gravitation krümmt den Lichtweg; he curved the ball around the wall → er zirkelte den Ball um die Mauer herum

vi

(line, road) → einen Bogen machen; (river) → eine Biegung machen; her lips curved into a smile → ihre Lippen verzogen sich zu einem Lächeln; the road curves around the city → die Straße macht einen Bogen um die Stadt; to make a ball curve (through the air) → einen Ball anschneiden, einem Ball einen Drall geben

(= be curved) (space, horizon) → gekrümmt sein; (side of ship, surface, arch) → sich wölben; (hips, breasts) → sich runden; (metal strip etc) → sich biegen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

curve

[kɜːv]

1. n (gen) → curva; (of river) → ansa
simple closed curve (Math) → curva chiusa semplice

2. vt → curvare

3. vi (road, river) → fare una curva; (line, surface, arch) → curvarsi

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

curve

(kəːv) noun

1. a line which is not straight at any point, like part of the edge of a circle. boog, bolrand إنحِناء извивка curva křivka die Kurve bue; kurve καμπύληcurva kõverjoon منحنی؛ نیم دایره kaari courbeעקומה वक्र रेखा zavoj görbület; (matematikában stb.) görbe lengkung bogi, boglína curva 曲線 곡선 kreivė, lankas līka līnija; līkne lengkung curvebue, kurvekrzywa نیمه دایره، منحنی curva curbă кривая krivka krivulja kriva linija kurva เส้นโค้ง eğri 曲線 крива خط منحنى đường cong 曲线

2. anything shaped like this. a curve in the road. draai مُنْعَطَف завой curva zatáčka, ohyb die Kurve kurve; krumning καμπή, στροφήcurva kaard هر چیز منحنی؛ یا خمیده kaari tournantעיקול घुमाव, मोड़ zavoj kanyar(ulat) lengkungan, tikungan beygja curva 曲がり 커브길 lankstas, vingis, linkis līkums lengkung krommingveisving, kurve; bryst– eller hoftelinje krzywizna, łuk هر شی چی منحنی وی curva curbă изгиб zákruta ovinek krivina kurva, krök, böj สิ่งที่มีรูปร่างโค้ง dönemeç, viraj 彎曲 кривизна; закруглення منحنى có hình cong 弯曲

verb

to bend in a curve. The road curves east. draai يَنْحَني извивам (се) fazer uma curva (s)točit se, ohnout (se) sich krümmen svinge; krumme; gå i en bue στρίβωtorcerse, hacer curva kaarduma دور زدن kaartaa tourner לְעָקֵל वक्र के आकार में झुकाना या झुकना zavinuti kanyarodik membelok beygja, sveigja curvare 曲がる 커브를 이루다 daryti lankstą, lanką, vingiuoti izliekt; izliekties; izlocīties melengkung buigensvinge, bue/bøye/krumme seg zakręcać لری وارول fazer uma curva a face o curbă; a se curba изгибаться (za)točiť sa zavijati kriviti se böja, kröka โค้ง eğmek, kıvırmak, kıvrılmak 彎曲 гнути; вигинати(ся) جهكنا يا جهكانا، م‍ڑنا یا موڑنا uốn cong 弯曲

curved adjective

a curved blade. gedraaide مُقَوَّس крив curvo zkroucený, zakřivený gekrümmt krum; buet; kurvet κυρτόςcurvo, encorvado kaardus قوس دار kaareva courbéמעוקל टेढ़ा zavinut görbe melengkung bogadreginn, sveigður curvo 曲線状の 구브러진 (iš)lenktas izliekts lengkung gekromdbuet, bueformet, krumzakrzywiony قوس لرونکی curvo curbat изогнутый skrútený ukrivljen iskrivljen böjd, krökt, svängd ซึ่งโค้ง eğri 彎曲的 зігнутий; вигнутий جهكا هوا، منحنى được uốn cong 弯曲的

ˈcurvy adjective

draaierig مُنْحَـنِ извит curvado křivý, klikatý gebogen velskabt; veldrejet καμπυλόγραμμος curvo, sinuoso käänuline دارای انحنا kaarteinen courbe, sinueux עָקַלתוֹן वक्रयुक्त zavojit görbén melengkung bugðóttur curvo 曲がった 굽은 vingiuotas, gražios figūros līkumains lengkung gekromd, welgevormdsvinget; velskapt zaokrąglony د انحناء لرونکی curvado sinuos кривой krivý, kľukatý ukrivljen kriv kurvig ที่มีลักษณะโค้ง eğri 曲線形的 фігуристий (про дівчину) جهكن‍ے والا، م‍ڑن‍ے والا bị uốn cong 曲线形的

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

curve

n. curva;

v. torcer, encorvar.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

curve

n curva; growth — curva de crecimiento; learning — curva de aprendizaje

English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.