Attested since the 1690s, from Latin curvus (“bent, curved”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to bend, curve, turn”) + *-wós. Doublet of curb, shrink, carcer, and cancer.
Attested since the 1690s, from Latin curvus (“bent, curved”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to bend, curve, turn”) + *-wós. Doublet of curb, shrink, carcer, and cancer.
Meanings
A bend, such as in a road.
But when we reflect that across the road at the centre of the arc of each curve there was a barricade, and cannon placed to rake the' intervals between the different barricades, the difficulties of the ascent, which is very steep, would be increased even to insurmountability. 1877, John Joseph Henry, Account of Arnold's Campaign Against Quebec, J. Munsell, page 171:
AROUND six years ago, Hyundai figured a 10-year warranty was not enough to attract shoppers and conjured up daring design for more attention. Sonata was the first to get the Fluidic Sculpture makeover, but the fifth-generation Elantra ended up being the swoopiest of the fleet. Hyundai’s newest gamble? Toning down those curves. […] Laugh at that detail now — you won’t when the sun is blinding you at 75 miles an hour on a curve. 2016 April 28, Tom Voelk, “Video Review: Hyundai Elantra Offers Fewer Curves, but a Better Ride”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 08 Nov 2020:
You should slow down when approaching a curve.
In appearance, the bharal resembles both a sheep and a goat. Its horns are smooth, rounded and form a curve backwards over the neck. The fur is brownish grey in colour which attains a slaty grey hue in winter and becomes browner in summer. In Kumaun the bharal is found in the desolate tracts of northern Pithoragarh, usually on the slopes of the main Himalayan range where it lives between the timberline and the snowline. 1993, Sharad Singh Negi, Kumaun: The Land and the People, page 106:
A simple figure containing no straight portions and no angles; a curved line.
However, it should be possible to give more sophisticated spherical spline curves based on the de Castaljau method that are computed using multiple slerps between pairs of points and which work well for arbitrary knot positions (indeed, knot insertion methods for spline curves should suffice for this, cf Farin [1993]) 2001 April, Samuel R. Buss, Jay P Fillmore, “Spherical averages and applications to spherical splines and interpolation”, in ACM Transactions on Graphics (TOG), volume 20, number 2:
She scribbled a curve on the paper.
A grading system based on the scale of performance of a group used to normalize a right-skewed grade distribution (with more lower scores) into a bell curve, so that more can receive higher grades, regardless of their actual knowledge of the subject.
The teacher was nice and graded the test on a curve.
(broadly, nonstandard) A grading system based on the scale of performance of a group used to normalize a right-skewed grade distribution (with more lower scores) into a bell curve, so that more can receive higher grades, regardless of their actual knowledge of the subject. ▸ A grading system where all raw scores are raised by a set number of points.
(analytic) A continuous map from a one-dimensional space to a multidimensional space.
A one-dimensional figure of non-zero length; the graph of a continuous map from a one-dimensional space.
An algebraic curve; a polynomial relation of the planar coordinates.
A one-dimensional continuum.
(informal, plural-normally) The attractive shape of a woman's body.
hi घुमाव (gentle bend) · ga cuar (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · tr eğri (curved line) · mk о́блини (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · te వంపులు (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · nn kurve (gentle bend) · ru изги́б (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · ang byġe (gentle bend) · ka წირი (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · yi אויסבייג (gentle bend) · io kurvo (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · lt linkis (gentle bend) · nv ahééʼídzoh (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · tl guhit na kilo (curved line) · hu ív (gentle bend) · bg крива (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · eo kurbo (gentle bend) · mi kapu (gentle bend) · da kurve (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · ca corba (curved line) · eo sinuo (gentle bend) · id kurva (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · nl curve (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · eo ĝirejo (gentle bend) · ko 곡선 (curved line) · fi kurvi (gentle bend) · af kurwe (gentle bend) · fr courbes (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · grc καμπή (gentle bend) · sh облѝна (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · la anfractus (gentle bend) · ru изги́б (gentle bend) · it curva (curved line) · nb kurve (gentle bend) · nl curve (gentle bend) · tr kıvrım (gentle bend) · pt curva (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · mba likoliko (gentle bend) · nl figuur (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · ro curbă (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · he עקימה (gentle bend) · af kurwe (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · vi khúc quanh (gentle bend) · ja 曲線 (gentle bend) · lt vingis (gentle bend) · it curva (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · ga cuar (curved line) · hu görbe/íves/ívelt/kanyargó vonal (curved line) · ru крива́я (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · yue 彎 /弯 (gentle bend) · tl kilo (curved line) · eu kurba (gentle bend) · nl kromming (gentle bend) · mk кри́ва (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · fi kaarre (gentle bend) · vi đường cong (curved line) · af kurwe (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · ru крива́я (gentle bend) · hu görbület (gentle bend) · fi kurvit (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · eo kurbiĝo (gentle bend) · gd bogha (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · ru крива́я (curved line) · pt curvas (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · eo vojturno (gentle bend) · ro linie curbă (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · de Kurven (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · fi kurvi (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · ro curbă (curved line) · fr courbe (gentle bend) · lv līkne (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · izh mutka (gentle bend) · ca revolt (gentle bend) · hu grafikon (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · ja 曲線 (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · pl zakręt (gentle bend) · sw mchirizo (curved line) · el καμπύλη (gentle bend) · da kurver (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · tl kilo (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · mi ānau (curved line) · ota كوشه (gentle bend) · tr kıvrım (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · fi käyrä (curved line) · it curva (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · sq kthesë (curved line) · cmn 彎子 /弯子 (gentle bend) · sv kurva (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · sh oblìna (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · sh obline (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · sv kurva (gentle bend) · he חיטובים (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · el καμπύλη (curved line) · nb kurve (curved line) · de Kurve (curved line) · gl curva (gentle bend) · mi ānau (gentle bend) · nn kurve (curved line) · nv ahééʼídzoh (curved line) · ota اكری (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · hu kanyarulat (gentle bend) · sa अङ्कस् (gentle bend) · ja 曲線 (curved line) · io kurvo (gentle bend) · ota اكری (curved line) · bg извивки (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · cmn 曲線 /曲线 (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · de Kurve (gentle bend) · el καμπύλη (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · eo kurbo (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · sl krivulja (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · fa پیچ (gentle bend) · fa خم (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · te వంపు (gentle bend) · hi घुमाव (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · sv kurva (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · pt curva (gentle bend) · ar منحنى (gentle bend) · hu hajlás (gentle bend) · hu idomok (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · cs ohyb (gentle bend) · is ferill (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · el καμπύλες (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · es curva (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · hu domborulat (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · es curvas (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · fi mutka (gentle bend) · hu görbe (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · pl krzywa (curved line) · it curva (gentle bend) · es curva (gentle bend) · nb kurve (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · el καμπύλη (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · gd lùb (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · ca corbes (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · id lengkungan (gentle bend) · tr eğri (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · yue 曲線 /曲线 (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · lv līkums (gentle bend) · fa منحنی (curved line) · ga cuar (gentle bend) · zza çewt (diq) (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · te వొంపులు (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · hi चक्कर (gentle bend) · la flexus (gentle bend) · nl rondingen (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · hu függvényábra (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · pl krzywa (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · cs křivka (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · bg извивка (gentle bend) · ro curbă (gentle bend) · nn kurve (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · ro linie curbată (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · gd lùb (gentle bend) · mr वळण (gentle bend) · gl curva (curved line) · hu hajlat (gentle bend) · mk о́блина (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · hu kanyar (gentle bend) · ru поворо́т (gentle bend) · km ខ្សែកោង (curved line) · fr courbe (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · sh облине (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · es curva (curved line) · mk сви́ок (gentle bend) · la curvāmen (gentle bend) · sv figur (informal: usually in plural: attractive features of a woman or informal: attractive shape of a woman's body) · de Linie (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · he עקומה (curved line) · nl bocht (gentle bend) · ota اكری (gentle bend) · fi käyrä (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · bg крива линия (curved line) · cmn 曲線 /曲线 (curved line) · fi kaari (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · pt curva (curved line) · lt kreivė (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · km របត់ (gentle bend) · nl kromme (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · ka მრუდი (geometry: one-dimensional figure) · yue 曲線 /曲线 (curved line) · gd bogha (gentle bend) · ca corba (geometry: one-dimensional figure)
Attested since the 1690s, from Latin curvus (“bent, curved”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to bend, curve, turn”) + *-wós. Doublet of curb, shrink, carcer, and cancer.
Meanings
(transitive) To bend; to crook.
to curve a pipe
to curve a line
(transitive) To cause to swerve from a straight course.
to curve a ball in pitching it
(intransitive) To bend or turn gradually from a given direction.
the road curves to the right
The double-track branch curves away southwards at the south end of the station and runs on a banked down gradient gradually losing sight of the main line. 1958 July 14, P. J. Norris, “The Bexhill West Branch”, in Railway Magazine, page 496:
[…] the shoulders not too wide above, bowing outward from the top to the breast; the back flat from shoulder to tail; the ribs extending horizontally and backwards, and then curving down barrelwise; […] 1866, The Missouri Yearbook of Agriculture: Annual Report, Missouri. State Board of Agriculture, page 31:
Even without mobilization of the bone, the median eyelid angle can be deplaced in the nasal direction. For this purpose, we inserted a heart-shaped cartilage implant, curved toward the caruncula. 1982, Sherrell J. Aston, Albert Hornblass, Murray A. Meltzer, et al., editors, Third International Symposium of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery of the Eye and Adnexa, Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins Co., →ISBN, page 116:
(transitive) To grade on a curve (bell curve of a normal distribution).
The teacher will curve the test.
(slang, transitive) To reject, to turn down romantic advances.
ga cuar (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · ga cuar (bend, crook) · nl buigen (bend, crook) · hy ծռել (bend, crook) · es curvar (bend, crook) · ko 구부러지다 (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · hu elgörbít (bend, crook) · ru изгиба́ть (bend, crook) · io kurveskar (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · es curvear (reflexive) · pt envergar (bend, crook) · es encorvar (bend, crook) · hu hajlít (bend, crook) · es curvear (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · hu csavarodik (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · ota بوكمك (bend, crook) · es corvarse (reflexive) · ru гнуть (bend, crook) · enm croken (bend, crook) · ka გაღუნვა (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · ca encorbar (bend, crook) · mk се и́звива (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · de verbiegen (bend, crook) · mk сви́ткува (bend, crook) · ko 구부리다 (bend, crook) · it curvare (bend, crook) · de biegen (bend, crook) · ota اكمك (bend, crook) · es encorvarse (reflexive) · gl curvar (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · ja 曲がる (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · km បត់ (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · ga cas (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · mk искри́вува (bend, crook) · hu ível (cause to swerve from a straight course) · fr courber (bend, crook) · gd lùb (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · pt curvar (bend, crook) · fi käyristää (bend, crook) · hu csavar (cause to swerve from a straight course) · pt curvar (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · tr kıvrılmak (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · bg извивам се (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · hu görbül (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · tr kıvırmak (bend, crook) · fi kaartaa (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · gd lùb (bend, crook) · pt curvar (cause to swerve from a straight course) · it curvare (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · gl curvar (bend, crook) · bg изкривявам (bend, crook) · nl krommen (bend, crook) · sv böja (bend, crook) · es curvarse (reflexive) · ga cor (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · mk ви́тка (bend, crook) · hu begörbít (bend, crook) · nl plooien (bend, crook) · hu hajlik (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · gd crom (bend, crook) · ka ღუნვა (bend, crook) · nl afbuigen (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · bg извивам (bend, crook) · sv böja (sig) (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · es curvear (bend, crook) · tr bükmek (bend, crook) · hu kanyarodik (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · tr eğmek (bend, crook) · ru гну́ться (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · ca corbar (bend, crook) · sv kröka (bend, crook) · ru изгиба́ться (bend or turn gradually from a given direction) · es corvar (bend, crook) · hi मोड़ना (bend, crook) · ga lúb (bend or turn gradually from a given direction)