- curve
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 line or surface that bendsADJECTIVE▪ gentle, graceful, slight, smooth, soft▪ sharp, tight▪ sweeping, wide▪ sensual, voluptuous▪
the voluptuous curve of her hips
▪ feminine curves, womanly curves▪ downward, upward▪ natural▪the natural curve of your spine
VERB + CURVE▪ form, make▪The seats were arranged to form a curve.
PREPOSITION▪ in a curve▪The road follows the coast in a wide curve.
▪ curve of▪the curve of his neck
PHRASES▪ hug sb's curves▪The evening dress hugged her curves beautifully.
2 (AmE) bend in the roadADJECTIVE▪ sharp, tight▪The road went around in a tight curve.
VERB + CURVE▪ come around, hug, negotiate, round▪He slowed down to negotiate the curve.
PREPOSITION▪ around a/the curve▪The car vanished around a curve.
▪ at a/the curve▪Slow down at the curves.
▪ into a/the curve▪A good motorcyclist leans into the curves.
▪ curve in▪a curve in the road
3 on a graphADJECTIVE▪ steep▪ bell▪ normal, standard▪ growth▪ grading (= of students' grades) (AmE)▪ learning (= the rate at which you learn sth new)▪Start-up businesses often have a steep learning curve.
VERB + CURVE▪ plotCURVE + VERB▪ flatten out▪ indicate sth, show sthPHRASES▪ grade on a curve (= to adjust scores so that they fit a normal curve) (AmE){{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}verbADVERB▪ gently, slightly▪a gently curving stream
▪ gracefully▪ strongly▪ sharply▪ away, down, up▪The path curved down to the bay.
PREPOSITION▪ around, round (esp. BrE), towards/toward, etc.▪The road curved away around the back of the hill.
PHRASES▪ curve into a smile▪His mouth curved into a smile.
Curve is used with these nouns as the object: ↑spine
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
