Curb
/kɜrb/
nounverbB1
Definition
As a noun, a curb is the raised edge along the side of a road or sidewalk that separates the street from the walking area. As a verb, to curb means to stop or control something from growing, spreading, or becoming worse, like controlling emotions or stopping bad habits.
Was this helpful?
⚡ See It in Action
Noun: The raised edge between a sidewalk and a street
- •She stepped off the curb carefully before crossing the road.
- •The car stopped just before hitting the curb.
- •The children sat on the curb waiting for the bus.
Verb: To control or limit something bad or unwanted
- •The government is trying to curb pollution in the city.
- •He tried to curb his anger during the argument.
- •New laws were introduced to curb the spread of the virus.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "curb" like "edge" (A1 word), but it is a physical boundary that stops cars or people from going off the road or controls actions
- ✓Picture the raised stone line between the sidewalk and street that keeps cars on the road and people safe
- ✓It's the feeling when you hold back your anger or stop yourself from doing something wrong
- ✓Sounds like "curb" → imagine a bird (sounds like "curb") sitting on the edge, stopping from flying away
- ✓Think of a story where a parent tells a child to curb their excitement, meaning to control or limit it
- ✓NOT like "wall" (a big solid barrier), a curb is low and small but still a clear boundary
- ✓NOT like "ignore" (do nothing), to curb something means actively controlling or limiting it
- ✓NOT like "stop" (complete end), curbing often means reducing or controlling, not always full stopping
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Restrain: to hold back or control (Use when emphasizing stopping strong feelings or actions)
- •Control: to have power over something (Use for general managing or directing)
- •Edge: the border of something (Use when talking about physical borders like sidewalks)
- •Check: to stop or slow down (Use in more formal or serious contexts about stopping growth or action)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix, simple root word)
- •Etymology: From Old French "courbe," meaning a curved line or edge
- •Historical development: Originally meant a curved shape or border, later used for the edge of a road and the idea of controlling something
- •Modern usage: Used as a noun for the physical edge of streets and as a verb for controlling or limiting actions, feelings, or problems
- •Interesting fact: The noun "curb" is often spelled "kerb" in British English when referring to the street edge
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How can you curb your own habits or emotions in daily life?
•Can curbing something always be good, or can it sometimes cause problems?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The city installed new fences to curb the ___ of stray dogs in the neighborhood.
2.When he felt angry, he tried to curb his ___ before speaking.
3.The car stopped just before hitting the ___ on the side of the road.
4.To curb pollution, the government introduced new ___ on factories.
5.She sat on the ___ waiting for the bus to arrive.
6.You can curb a bad habit by ___ it with small, controlled steps.
7.Unlike ignoring a problem, to curb it means to ___ it actively.