curb

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Definitions (33)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (9)

  1. noun A concrete border or row of joined stones forming part of a gutter along the edge of a street.
  2. noun An enclosing framework, such as that around a skylight.
  3. noun A raised margin along an edge used to confine or strengthen.
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Examples (49)

  • When they reached the other curb, they glanced back. —  Judge and Jury
  • The bronze man glanced up and down the street rapidly The car at the curb was a big, inclosed job, similar to the one Long Tom and Johnny had used. —  059 - The Living Fire Menace
  • An ambulance had backed up to the curb, although the grim cargo it was taking aboard was far beyond any help a surgeon might give A police car was also at the curb, and two patrolmen were busy holding back curious spectators. —  052 - The Land of Fear
  • After walking a block Bentley cuts across Boulevard Saint-Germain and hops into the black Citroën waiting at the curb, and as he smiles a shadow Crosses his face. —  Glamorama
  • Perhaps a car would suddenly jump the curb, a wall would collapse, a hideously off-course airliner would try to use her street as an emergency landing strip. —  F ;SF; - vol 088 issue 05 - May 1995
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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

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Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

sidewalk ·  walkway ·  parapet ·  driveway ·  ledge ·  stairway

Used in the same contextWord Family

curb:   curbs ·  curbing ·  curbed
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (4)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Blend of Middle English, curved piece of wood (from Old French corbe, curved object, from corbe, curved, from Latin curvus) and Middle English corbe, horse strap (from corben, to bow down, halt, from Old French corber, to bow down, from Latin curvāre, from curvus, curved, bent; see sker-2 in Indo-European roots).

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (3)

  1. I. a.: from Middle English courbe, adjective, from Old French courbe, corbe, modern F. courbe = Provencal corb = Spanish Portuguese Italian curvo, from Latin curvus, bent, crooked, curved: see curve, a., of which curb is a doublet. II. n.: from French courbe (= Spanish Portuguese Italian curva), a curve, bend, curb on a horse's leg; properly feminine of the adjective
  2. from Middle English courben, kerben, bend, bow, crouch, from Old French courber, corber, curber, French courber = Provencal corbar, curvar = Old Spanish corvar (now encorvar) = Portuguese curvar = Italian curvare, from Latin curvare, bend, curve, from curvus, bent, curved: see curve, adjective, and curve, v., of which curb is a doublet.
  3. In some senses formerly also kerb; from curb, v.
 

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/kərb/
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