Curve - English meaning

noun

A part of a curve, especially a part of the circumference of a circle.

Usage examples:

The point where a tangential line touches the arc of a circle

verb

Move with a curving trajectory.

Usage examples:

The ball arced across the room

abbreviation

(in the uk) agricultural research council.

noun

A curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it.

Usage examples:

The result brings to mind support structures for vaulted arches (for instance gaudi's sagrada famil…

verb

Have the curved shape of an arch.

Usage examples:

A beautiful bridge that arched over a canal

adjective

Deliberately or affectedly playful and teasing.

Usage examples:

A somewhat arch tone of voice

adjective

Constructed with or in the form of an arch or arches.

Usage examples:

High arched windows

verb

Have the curved shape of an arch.

Usage examples:

A beautiful bridge that arched over a canal

adjective

Having a shape or structure with an curve at the top, like an arch

Usage examples:

The entrance to the cathedral is through an arched door.

verb

Shape or force (something straight) into a curve or angle.

Usage examples:

The wire has to be bent back tightly

noun

A curve in a road, river, path, or racing circuit.

Usage examples:

The van screeched round a bend

noun

An ordinary in the form of a broad diagonal stripe from top left (dexter chief) to bottom right (sinister base) of a shield or part of one.

Usage examples:

A narrow bend, either dexter or sinister, lying across the other charges on a shield

adjective

Sharply curved or having an angle.

Usage examples:

A piece of bent wire

noun

Past and past participle of bend1.

noun

A stiff grass which is used for lawns and is a component of pasture and hay grasses.

Usage examples:

The grasses used may be native to the area or specially introduced species such as rye grass, fescu…

noun

A knot tied with two loops and two loose ends, used especially for tying shoelaces and decorative ribbons.

Usage examples:

A girl with long hair tied back in a bow

verb

A curved stroke forming part of a letter (e.g. b, p ).

noun

An act of bending the head or upper body as a sign of respect or greeting.

Usage examples:

The man gave a little bow

verb

Play (a stringed instrument or music) using a bow.

Usage examples:

The techniques by which the pieces were bowed

verb

Bend the head or upper part of the body as a sign of respect, greeting, or shame.

Usage examples:

He turned and bowed to his father

noun

A knot tied with two loops and two loose ends, used especially for tying shoelaces and decorative ribbons.

Usage examples:

A girl with long hair tied back in a bow

noun

A rounded swelling which distorts an otherwise flat surface.

Usage examples:

The telltale bulge of a concealed weapon

verb

Swell or protrude to an incongruous extent.

Usage examples:

The veins in his neck bulged

noun

A length of something wound in a joined sequence of concentric rings.

Usage examples:

A coil of rope

verb

Arrange (something long and flexible) in a coil.

Usage examples:

He began to coil up the heavy ropes

noun

A confusion or turmoil.

Usage examples:

But the biggest loser from our decision to cling gamely to the mortal coil is the national health s…

noun

The curved sickle shape of the waxing or waning moon.

Usage examples:

The moon was a slender crescent

adjective

Having the shape of a crescent.

Usage examples:

A crescent moon

noun

A curved shape that has two narrow pointed ends

verb

Form or cause to form into a curved or spiral shape.

Usage examples:

Her fingers curled round the microphone

noun

Something in the shape of a spiral or coil, especially a lock of hair.

Usage examples:

Her blonde hair was a mass of tangled curls

verb

Form or cause to form a curve.

Usage examples:

Her mouth curved in a smile

noun

A line or outline which gradually deviates from being straight for some or all of its length.

Usage examples:

The parapet wall sweeps down in a bold curve

verb

Present participle of curve

Usage examples:

The road curves round to the left.

verb

Curve inwards.

Usage examples:

The petals have a tendency to incurve

verb

Change the form of (a word) to express a particular grammatical function or attribute, typically tense, mood, person, number, and gender.

Usage examples:

Arabic verbs are inflected for person, number, and gender

verb

(of a word) to change spelling or ending according to the way it is used in a sentence; to change a spelling or ending in this way

Usage examples:

Almost all word types can inflect in finnish., a language where verbs are inflected, inflect someth…

noun

A shape produced by a curve that bends round and crosses itself.

Usage examples:

Make a loop in the twine

verb

Form (something) into a loop or loops; encircle.

Usage examples:

She looped her arms around his neck

noun

A circular shape made by something long and narrow in which the two ends cross each other, leaving an open space within

Usage examples:

A loop of thread from my sweater caught on a nail., the exit ramp makes a loop under the elevated h…

abbreviation

Mare.

determiner

Short for my (representing the pronunciation used by lawyers in court to refer to or address the judge or a fellow barrister on the same side).

Usage examples:

M'learned friend

prefix

Denoting commercial activity conducted electronically by means of mobile phones.

Usage examples:

M-commerce

verb

(of a river or road) follow a winding course.

Usage examples:

A river that meandered gently through a meadow

noun

A winding curve or bend of a river or road.

Usage examples:

The river flows in sweeping meanders

verb

To follow a route that is not straight or direct

Usage examples:

Hikers can meander along the path next to the river for several miles.

adjective

Bent or curved backwards.

Usage examples:

Large recurved tusks

verb

Bend backwards.

Usage examples:

The petals recurve, elevating the flower

adjective

Of or like a serpent or snake.

Usage examples:

Serpentine coils

noun

A dark green mineral consisting of hydrated magnesium silicate, sometimes mottled or spotted like a snake's skin.

Usage examples:

The metamorphic mineral serpentine - or magnesium silicate hydroxide - is composed of magnesium, si…

verb

Move or lie in a winding path or line.

Usage examples:

Fresh tyre tracks serpentined back towards the hopper

adjective

Having many curves and turns.

Usage examples:

The river follows a sinuous trail through the dale

adjective

Moving in a twisting, curving, or indirect way, or having many curves

Usage examples:

He enjoyed watching the sinuous bodies of the dancers., the hikers followed the sinuous path throug…

noun

A long limbless reptile which has no eyelids, a short tail, and jaws that are capable of considerable extension. some snakes have a venomous bite.

Usage examples:

The copperhead, a venomous snake, is dangerous, but its bite is rarely life-threatening to healthy …

verb

Move or extend with the twisting motion of a snake.

Usage examples:

A rope snaked down

noun

An animal with a long, cylindrical body and no legs

Usage examples:

People spent hours waiting in lines that snaked around the stadium to get tickets.

adjective

Winding in a continuous and gradually widening (or tightening) curve, either round a central point on a flat plane or about an axis so as to form a cone.

Usage examples:

A spiral pattern

noun

A spiral curve, shape, pattern, or object.

Usage examples:

A spiral of smoke

verb

Move in a spiral course.

Usage examples:

A wisp of smoke spiralled up from the trees

verb

(especially of a part of the body) become larger or rounder in size, typically as a result of an accumulation of fluid.

Usage examples:

Her bruised knee was already swelling up

noun

A full or gently rounded shape or form.

Usage examples:

The soft swell of her breast

adjective

Excellent; very good.

Usage examples:

You're looking swell

verb

Move in a circular direction wholly or partly round an axis or point.

Usage examples:

The big wheel was turning

noun

An act of moving something in a circular direction round an axis or point.

Usage examples:

A safety lock requiring four turns of the key

verb

Move around an axis or a center

verb

Form into a bent, curling, or distorted shape.

Usage examples:

A strip of metal is twisted to form a hollow tube

noun

An act of twisting something around a stationary point.

Usage examples:

The taps needed a single twist to turn them on

verb

Cause an object to assume a curved or distorted shape

adjective

Forced out of its natural or proper shape; crumpled.

Usage examples:

The crash left a trail of twisted metal across the carriageway

verb

Form into a bent, curling, or distorted shape.

Usage examples:

A strip of metal is twisted to form a hollow tube

adjective

Unusual and strange; perverse

Usage examples:

The letter was clearly written by someone with a twisted mind., he missed the first game of the sea…

adjective

Not arranged or moving in a straight line; winding.

Usage examples:

A twisty country road

adjective

A twisty road has many turns.

verb

Move or go with a smooth up-and-down motion.

Usage examples:

The surface of the liquid undulated gently

adjective

(especially of a leaf) having a wavy surface or edge.

verb

To have a continuous up and down shape or movement, like waves on the sea

Usage examples:

The road undulates for five miles before a steep climb., the undulating countryside

adjective

Having a form or edge that smoothly curves in and out.

Usage examples:

She had long, wavy hair

adjective

Curving in shape, or having a series of curves

Usage examples:

Jasmine’s got wavy blond hair.

noun

The perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a current of air blowing from a particular direction.

Usage examples:

The wind howled about the building

verb

Cause (someone) to have difficulty breathing because of exertion or a blow to the stomach.

Usage examples:

The fall nearly winded him

noun

A twist or turn in a course.

Usage examples:

After a few minutes of puzzled winds and twists and turns and curses muttered under my breath, i co…