curb
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /kɝb/
ipa: /kɜːb/
rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)b
homophone: kerb
homophone: kirb
Forms: form: curbs
form: kerb
form: kirb
Etymology: From Middle French courbe (“curve, curved object”), from Latin curvus (“bent, crooked, curved”). Doublet of curve.
Senses: glosses: A concrete margin along the edge of a road; a kerb (UK, Australia, New Zealand).
glosses: A raised margin along the edge of something, such as a well or the eye of a dome, as a strengthening.
examples: text: Even by theſe Men, Religion, that ſhould be / The curb, is made the ſpur to tyranny: / They with their double key of conſcience bind / The Subjects ſouls, and leave Kings unconfin'd; […]
ref: 1641 (first performance), [John Denham], The Sophy. […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman, […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act IV, pages [44A]–45:
text: The same also is that burning mention’d by S. Paul, whereof mariage ought to be the remedy; the Flesh hath other naturall and easie curbs which are in the power of any temperate man..
ref: 1643, John Milton, Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce:
text: 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."
ref: 2012 April 19, Josh Halliday, “Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised?”, in The Guardian:
glosses: Something that checks or restrains; a restraint.
examples: text: He that before ran in the pastures wild / Felt the stiff curb controul his angry jaws.
ref: 1605, Michael Drayton, The Fourth Eclogue:
text: Captain went out in the cab all the morning. Harry came in after school to feed me and give me water. In the afternoon I was put into the cab. Jerry took as much pains to see if the collar and bridle fitted comfortably, as if he had been John Manly over again. When the crupper was let out a hole or two, it all fitted well. There was no bearing rein—no curb—nothing but a plain ring snaffle. What a blessing that was!
ref: [1877], Anna Sewell, “A London Cab Horse”, in Black Beauty: […], London: Jarrold and Sons, […], →OCLC, part III, page 158:
topics: equestrianism
hobbies
horses
lifestyle
pets
sports
synonyms: curb bit
glosses: 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.
glosses: A sidewalk, covered or partially enclosed, bordering the airport terminal road system with adjacent paved areas to permit vehicles to off-load or load passengers.
glosses: 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: bite the curb
curb-appeal
curb appeal
curb bit
curb-bit
curb chain
curb crawler
curb cut
curb cut effect
curb extension
curbless
curb market
curb number
curb roof
curb service
curbside
curbstone
curb strip
curb weight
kick to the curb
roof curb
trading curb
turtle curb