curve

Everyday

1. A line that bends smoothly without any sharp corners, like part of a circle. tree →
2. A bend in a road, river or path. tree →
3. As a verb, to bend in a smooth line. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, a curve is a line that is not straight; circles and ovals are made of curves, and a graph line can curve. In safety lessons, you cross roads away from curves, because drivers cannot see you. In science, a ball thrown in the air follows a curve. Phrases: a curved line, a sharp curve, curve around, around the curve, a learning curve.

Examples

• Draw a curve, not a straight line. tree →
• The road curves around the lake. tree →
• Don't cross near a curve; drivers can't see you. tree →
• A circle is one long curve. tree →
• The rainbow made a curve across the sky. tree →
• The ball curved into the goal. tree →
• The curve of the broken dome was above his head. tree →

Note

Countable noun; regular verb (curved, curving). "Curved" is the adjective: a curved edge. In maths, faces can be flat or curved: a cylinder has two flat faces and one curved surface. Safety: cross where you can see far in both directions, not on a bend.