curb

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      English

      curb, gutter and storm drain

      Alternative forms

      Etymology

      From Middle French courbe (“curve, curved object”), from Latin curvus (“bent, crooked, curved”).

      Pronunciation

      Noun

      curb (plural curbs)

      1. (North America) A row of concrete along the edge of a road; a kerb (UK)
      2. A raised margin along the edge of something, such as a well or the eye of a dome, as a strengthening.
      3. Something that checks or restrains.
        • Denham
          By these men, religion, that should be / The curb, is made the spur of tyranny.
        • 2012 April 19, Josh Halliday, “Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised?”, the Guardian:
          She maintains that the internet should face similar curbs to TV because young people are increasingly living online. "It's totally different, someone at Google watching the video from the comfort of their office in San Francisco to someone from a council house in London, where this video is happening right outside their front door."
      4. A riding or driving bit for a horse that has rein action which amplifies the pressure in the mouth by leverage advantage placing pressure on the poll via the crown piece of the bridle and chin groove via a curb chain.
        • Drayton
          He that before ran in the pastures wild / Felt the stiff curb control his angry jaws.
      5. (North America) A sidewalk, covered or partially enclosed, bordering the airport terminal road system with an adjacent paved areas to permit vehicles to off-load or load passengers.
      6. A swelling on the back part of the hind leg of a horse, just behind the lowest part of the hock joint, generally causing lameness.

      Derived terms

      Translations

      row of concrete along the edge of a road — see kerb
      something that checks or restrains
      a riding or driving bit for a horse

      Verb

      curb (third-person singular simple present curbs, present participle curbing, simple past and past participle curbed)

      1. (transitive) To check, restrain or control.
        • Prior
          Where pinching want must curb thy warm desires.
      2. (transitive) To rein in.
      3. (transitive) To furnish with a curb, as a well; to restrain by a curb, as a bank of earth.
      4. (transitive) To force to "bite the curb" (hit the pavement curb); see curb stomp.
      5. (transitive) To damage vehicle wheels or tires by running into or over a pavement curb.
      6. (transitive) To bend or curve.
        • Holland
          crooked and curbed lines

      Translations

      restrain, rein in

      Related terms

      External links

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      Last modified on 19 June 2013, at 01:48