curve ball
3
5.0
- noun
- /ˈkɜrv bɔl/
- Specialized
:
curva
- 92 mile an hour curve ball.
- hit a curve ball
- throw a curve ball
Examples
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A well-thrown curve ball can confuse even the best batters.
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When I get back, I'll show you how to throw that curve ball.
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- Mo strikes him out with a curve ball!
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Look, they're throwing you a curve ball.
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Curve balls are tricky throws for the batter to hit.
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The pitcher skillfully delivered a curve ball that curved sharply away from the batter.
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Batters often struggle to hit a curve ball because of its unpredictable movement.
Synonyms
42
6.7
A baseball pitch that spins and bends as it reaches the batter
15
5.3
A baseball throw that curves as it reaches the batter
5
6.2
A pitch that curves as it moves toward the batter because the pitcher throws it with spin
4
9.1
A thrown baseball that curves as it reaches the batter
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a ball that curves' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'curve' (to bend or move in a curve) with 'ball' (the pitched object), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the pitched ball that curves. This composition follows regular English compounding and motion-image logic, making the literal baseball sense immediately comprehensible (though the term also has a later metaphorical sense of an unexpected difficulty).
Etymology
Curve ball comes from baseball: a ball thrown with a special spin that makes it curve suddenly as it reaches the batter, surprising them. That's why people also use 'curve ball' to mean a tricky or 'unexpected' problem or surprise.