Curb Meaning
/kɝb/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA concrete margin along the edge of a road; a kerb (UK, Australia, New Zealand).
nounA raised margin along the edge of something, such as a well or the eye of a dome, as a strengthening.
Sentence Examples
The committee called on all nations to work side-by-side to curb air pollution.
The government should endeavor to curb inflation.
Please give me some kind of medicine to curb the pain.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The city installed a tall ____ to prevent cars from hitting the sidewalk.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The committee called on all nations to work side-by-side to ____ air pollution.
Word Origin & History
From Middle French courbe (“curve, curved object”), from Latin curvus (“bent, crooked, curved”). Doublet of curve.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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; […]"
— 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:
"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.."
— 1643, John Milton, Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce:
"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.""
— 2012 April 19, Josh Halliday, “Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised?”, in The Guardian:
"He that before ran in the pastures wild / Felt the stiff curb controul his angry jaws."
— 1605, Michael Drayton, The Fourth Eclogue:
"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!"
— [1877], Anna Sewell, “A London Cab Horse”, in Black Beauty: […], London: Jarrold and Sons, […], →OCLC, part III, page 158:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The city installed a tall ____ to prevent cars from hitting the sidewalk.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The committee called on all nations to work side-by-side to ____ air pollution.