- curve
-
/kerrv/, n., v., curved, curving, adj.n.1. a continuously bending line, without angles.2. the act or extent of curving.3. any curved outline, form, thing, or part.4. a curved section of a road, path, hallway, etc.5. Railroads. a curved section of track: in the U.S. the curve is often expressed as the central angle, measured in degrees, of a curved section of track subtended by a chord 100 ft. (30 m) long (degree of curve).6. Also called curve ball. Baseball.a. a pitch delivered with a spin that causes the ball to veer from a normal straight path, away from the side from which it was thrown.b. the course of such a pitched ball.7. a graphic representation of the variations effected in something by the influence of changing conditions; graph.8. Math. a collection of points whose coordinates are continuous functions of a single independent variable.9. a misleading or deceptive trick; cheat; deception.10. Educ. a grading system based on the scale of performance of a group, so that those performing better, regardless of their actual knowledge of the subject, receive high grades: The new English professor marks on a curve. Cf. absolute (def. 10).11. a curved guide used in drafting.12. ahead of (or behind) the curve, at the forefront of (or lagging behind) recent developments, trends, etc.a. to take (someone) by surprise, esp. in a negative way.b. to mislead or deceive.v.t.14. to bend in a curve; cause to take the course of a curve.15. to grade on a curve.16. Baseball. to pitch a curve to.v.i.17. to bend in a curve; take the course of a curve.adj.18. curved.[1565-75; ( < MF) < L curvus crooked, bent, curved]
* * *
In mathematics, an abstract term used to describe the path of a continuously moving point (see continuity).Such a path is usually generated by an equation. The word can also apply to a straight line or to a series of line segments linked end to end. A closed curve is a path that repeats itself, and thus encloses one or more regions. Simple examples include circles, ellipses, and polygons. Open curves such as parabolas, hyperbolas, and spirals have infinite length.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
