| curve | | |
| n. (shape) | 1. curve, curved shape | the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes. |
| ~ bell-shaped curve, gaussian curve, gaussian shape, normal curve | a symmetrical curve representing the normal distribution. |
| ~ meander | a bend or curve, as in a stream or river. |
| ~ line | a length (straight or curved) without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point. |
| ~ closed curve | a curve (such as a circle) having no endpoints. |
| ~ s-shape | a double curve resembling the letter S. |
| ~ catenary | the curve theoretically assumed by a perfectly flexible and inextensible cord of uniform density and cross section hanging freely from two fixed points. |
| ~ cupid's bow | the double curve of the upper lip when considered to resemble Cupid's bow. |
| ~ undulation, wave | an undulating curve. |
| ~ extrados | the exterior curve of an arch. |
| ~ gooseneck | something in a thin curved form (like the neck of a goose). |
| ~ intrados | the interior curve of an arch. |
| ~ bend, turn, crook, twist | a circular segment of a curve.; "a bend in the road"; "a crook in the path" |
| ~ crotchet, hook | a sharp curve or crook; a shape resembling a hook. |
| ~ envelope | a curve that is tangent to each of a family of curves. |
| ~ arc | a continuous portion of a circle. |
| ~ crenation, crenature, crenel, crenelle, scallop | one of a series of rounded projections (or the notches between them) formed by curves along an edge (as the edge of a leaf or piece of cloth or the margin of a shell or a shriveled red blood cell observed in a hypertonic solution etc.). |
| ~ spiral | a plane curve traced by a point circling about the center but at increasing distances from the center. |
| ~ helix, spiral | a curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone and cuts the element at a constant angle. |
| ~ perversion | a curve that reverses the direction of something.; "the tendrils of the plant exhibited perversion"; "perversion also shows up in kinky telephone cords" |
| ~ sinuosity, sinuousness | having curves.; "he hated the sinuosity of mountain roads" |
| ~ arch | a curved shape in the vertical plane that spans an opening. |
| ~ bell shape, campana, bell | the shape of a bell. |
| ~ arc, bow | something curved in shape. |
| ~ crescent | any shape resembling the curved shape of the moon in its first or last quarters. |
| ~ quadric, quadric surface | a curve or surface whose equation (in Cartesian coordinates) is of the second degree. |
| ~ line roulette, roulette | a line generated by a point on one figure rolling around a second figure. |
| n. (communication) | 2. curve | a line on a graph representing data. |
| ~ regression curve, regression line | a smooth curve fitted to the set of paired data in regression analysis; for linear regression the curve is a straight line. |
| ~ graph, graphical record | a visual representation of the relations between certain quantities plotted with reference to a set of axes. |
| ~ line | a length (straight or curved) without breadth or thickness; the trace of a moving point. |
| n. (act) | 3. bender, breaking ball, curve, curve ball | a pitch of a baseball that is thrown with spin so that its path curves as it approaches the batter. |
| ~ pitch, delivery | (baseball) the act of throwing a baseball by a pitcher to a batter. |
| n. (attribute) | 4. curvature, curve | the property possessed by the curving of a line or surface. |
| ~ shape, configuration, conformation, contour, form | any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline).; "he could barely make out their shapes" |
| ~ curliness, waviness | (of hair) a tendency to curl. |
| ~ straightness | (of hair) lack of a tendency to curl. |
| n. (artifact) | 5. bend, curve | curved segment (of a road or river or railroad track etc.). |
| ~ blind bend, blind curve | a curve or bend in the road that you cannot see around as you are driving. |
| ~ elbow | a sharp bend in a road or river. |
| ~ hairpin bend | a U-shaped bend in a road. |
| ~ road, route | an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation. |
| ~ segment, section | one of several parts or pieces that fit with others to constitute a whole object.; "a section of a fishing rod"; "metal sections were used below ground"; "finished the final segment of the road" |
| ~ river | a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek).; "the river was navigable for 50 miles" |
| v. (motion) | 6. curve, cut, sheer, slew, slue, swerve, trend, veer | turn sharply; change direction abruptly.; "The car cut to the left at the intersection"; "The motorbike veered to the right" |
| ~ turn | change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense.; "Turn towards me"; "The mugger turned and fled before I could see his face"; "She turned from herself and learned to listen to others' needs" |
| ~ peel off | leave a formation. |
| ~ yaw | swerve off course momentarily.; "the ship yawed when the huge waves hit it" |
| v. (stative) | 7. curve, twist, wind | extend in curves and turns.; "The road winds around the lake"; "the path twisted through the forest" |
| ~ be | have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun).; "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer" |
| ~ circumvolute | wind or turn in volutions, especially in an inward spiral, as of snail. |
| ~ spiral | form a spiral.; "The path spirals up the mountain" |
| ~ snake | form a snake-like pattern.; "The river snakes through the valley" |
| v. (motion) | 8. arc, arch, curve | form an arch or curve.; "her back arches"; "her hips curve nicely" |
| ~ camber | curve upward in the middle. |
| ~ bend, flex | form a curve.; "The stick does not bend" |
| v. (motion) | 9. crook, curve | bend or cause to bend.; "He crooked his index finger"; "the road curved sharply" |
| ~ recurve | curve or bend (something) back or down. |
| ~ bend, flex | form a curve.; "The stick does not bend" |
| v. (change) | 10. curl, curve, kink | form a curl, curve, or kink.; "the cigar smoke curled up at the ceiling" |
| ~ change surface | undergo or cause to undergo a change in the surface. |
| ~ twist, bend, deform, flex, turn | cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form.; "bend the rod"; "twist the dough into a braid"; "the strong man could turn an iron bar" |
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