Reading Theme:
Curve: Meaning, Examples, and Usage (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：a curved line or bend (curve)
curve
/kɜːrv/
n., v.
a line that isn't straight, like a rainbow or a bend in a road.
a curved line or bend
➕
/ə kɜːrvd laɪn ɔr bɛnd/
n., v.
A line or path that is not straight; a bend or arc in a road, shape, or object.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'curvus' (bent), via Old French 'curve'.
💡 Mnemonic
Think of the letter 'C' – it starts as a curve. Or 'carve' a curved path.
📖 Example
The mountain road has a dangerous curve just ahead, so drivers need to slow down.
The mountain road has a dangerous curve just ahead, so drivers need to slow down.
🔗 Collocations
sharp curve – a very tight bend in a road or path
bell curve – a graph shaped like a bell, used in statistics
learning curve – the rate of learning something new over time
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
straight line (n.) – a line with no curve or bend
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
In 17th-century geometry, curves became central to analytic geometry, with Descartes and Fermat studying parabolas and ellipses. The term also appears in modern contexts like 'learning curve' (1907) and 'bell curve' (statistics).
Meaning 2：to bend or turn (curve)
curve
/kɜːrv/
n., v.
to move or turn along a path that isn't straight, like a car going around a corner.
to bend or turn
➕
/tuː bɛnd ɔr tɜːrn/
n., v.
To move or direct something in a curved path; to change direction smoothly.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The racing car had to curve sharply around the track to overtake its competitor.
The racing car had to curve sharply around the track to overtake its competitor.
🔗 Collocations
curve around – to go in a curved path around something
curve inward – to bend or turn toward the inside
curve to the right – to change direction to the right in a curve
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
straighten (v.) – to make or become straight
go straight (v.) – to continue in a straight line without turning
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