curved

Everyday

1. Bent in a smooth round shape, not straight and with no sharp corners. tree →
2. (verb) Moved or bent in a curve. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, shapes can have straight or curved sides or faces: a circle has one curved side, a cylinder has two flat faces and one curved surface, a sphere is all curved. In science, light bends on curved mirrors and lenses. In everyday life, curved roads need slower driving. Phrases: «curved line», «curved surface», «curved edge», «curved around».

Examples

• A circle is made of one curved line. tree →
• A cylinder has two flat faces and one curved surface. tree →
• The road curved around the hill. tree →
• The banana is long and curved. tree →
• A rainbow is a curved band of colours. tree →
• Draw a straight line and a curved line. tree →
• The spoon's curved back made my face look funny. tree →
• The river curved through the valley. tree →
• They were swans, and they curved their graceful necks, while their soft plumage shown with dazzling whiteness. tree →

Note

The noun and verb is «curve». In maths, a curved surface is not counted as a «face» in some schools — check what your teacher says: a cylinder may be said to have 2 faces and 1 curved surface. Opposite: straight.