|
| curve [ kurv ] |
noun (plural curves) |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. rounded line: a line that bends smoothly and regularly from being straight or flat, like part of a circle or sphere
|
2. something shaped in curve: something with a smooth round shape, e.g. a bend in a road
|
3. statistics plotted line: a line plotted on a graph from statistical data
|
4. education statistical method of grading: a method of distributing students' grades by plotting each person's score on a graph and then dividing this line into grades
|
5. mathematics line representing equation: a line whose points are defined by an equation and whose coordinates are functions of an independent variable
|
6. baseball
Same as curveball
|
verb (past and past participle curved, present participle curv·ing, 3rd person present singular curves) |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. transitive and intransitive verb move in curve: to move or bend in a curve, or make something move or bend in a curve
|
2. transitive verb baseball throw curve ball: to pitch somebody a curve ball
|
3. transitive verb grade students relatively to one another: to grade students' work by plotting scores on a graph and then assigning individual grades according to a standard distribution
|
| [15th century. < Latin curvus "curved, crooked"] |
|
  curved adjective |
|
|
ahead of the curve forward-thinking and ahead of a trend or trends
|
behind the curve reactive, or slow to react, to a trend or trends
|
pitch or throw somebody a curve to surprise somebody, usually with an unexpected and unwelcome question or response (informal)
|
Hotmail
