curb

noun \ ˈkərb \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Definition of curb

1 : a bit that exerts severe pressure on a horse's jaws; also : the chain or strap attached to it — see bit illustration

2 : an enclosing frame, border, or edging

3 : check, restraint

a price curb

government policies that are designed to put a curb on spending

4 : a raised edge or margin to strengthen or confine

5 : an edging (as of concrete) built along a street to form part of a gutter

They sat on the curb eating their ice cream.

[from the fact that it originally transacted its business on the street]

: a market for trading in securities not listed on a stock exchange

See curb defined for English-language learners

See curb defined for kids

Examples of curb in a Sentence

We sat on the curb eating our ice cream.
these international regulations act as a curb on the plundering of a nation's archaeological treasures

Recent Examples of curb from the Web

O’Keefe moped on the curb outside the school for a while before picking herself up and trudging along down Marguerite Drive, toward home.

— meagan flynn, Washington Post, "‘My killer was never found’: Police live tweet a murdered girl’s last day alive in 1973," 9 July 2018
Interestingly, instead of picking up all the trash, leave a single wrapper on the curb.

— bill torpy, ajc, "Torpy at Large: Any excuse given for littering is garbage," 6 July 2018
Authorities in the City of Lancaster are investigating police use of a stun gun on an unarmed suspect who was sitting on a curb.

— katherine nails, Philly.com, "Lancaster police Taser use on unarmed man under investigation," 29 June 2018
Opponents at Tuesday’s hearing urged the council to soften the restrictions, saying individuals in Santa Clarita are now prohibited from sitting on a curb, for instance.

— dakota smith, latimes.com, "Santa Clarita enacts new restrictions on homeless people: No sitting on sidewalks or sleeping in libraries," 27 June 2018
Imagine dropping a delicate vase on a concrete curb.

— gregg doyel, Indianapolis Star, "Doyel: Bobby and Nancy Leonard's love story helped save the Indiana Pacers," 27 June 2018
The woman on the curb held out her hand and a girl dressed as Princess Zelda stretched hers out, gave her a high five and went on her way.

— eder campuzano, OregonLive.com, "Showers don't dampen spirit of Rose Festival's Grand Floral Parade," 9 June 2018
There’s usually a line, Mexicans and not, and eaters scattered everywhere—on the curb, on milk crates, on rickety chairs, or just standing around.

— gustavo arellano, Bon Appetit, "Alebrije’s Is My Taco Truck and Also My Office," 6 June 2018
City leaders have heard some concerns about customers who have difficulty pushing their Toters out to the curb for pickup.

— david anderson, The Aegis, "Aberdeen council adopts new trash pickup ordinance," 12 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'curb.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of curb

Middle French courbe curve, curved piece of wood or iron, from courbe curved, from Latin curvus

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

curb Synonyms

Synonyms

check, circumscription, condition, constraint, fetter, limitation, restraint, restriction;

Near Antonyms

freedom, latitude;

ban, prohibition, proscription;

Other Animal Husbandry Terms

apiary, bantam, calico, girth, hogwash, mast, rut

curb

verb

Definition of curb

curbed; curbing; curbs

transitive verb

1 : to furnish with a curb

2 : to check or control with or as if with a curb

trying to curb her curiosity

3 : to lead (a dog) to a suitable place (such as a gutter) for defecation

See curb defined for English-language learners

Examples of curb in a Sentence

The legislation is intended to curb price and wage increases.
pills designed to curb your appetite

Recent Examples of curb from the Web

Others argue that liberal migration policies depend on curbing access to it: build a wall around the welfare state, not the country.

— The Economist, "Capitalism needs a welfare state to survive," 12 July 2018
More broadly, Kavanaugh unwaveringly stands for curbing federal regulations and the power of government agencies.

— natasha bach, Fortune, "Why Trump Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh Is Business's New Best Friend," 10 July 2018
The Paris accord, reached by 195 countries, seeks to avoid some of the worst effects of climate change by curbing global greenhouse gas emissions via individual, nonbinding national plans.

— nicole winfield, Fox News, "Pope warns climate change turning Earth into desert, garbage," 6 July 2018
The Paris accord, reached by 195 countries, seeks to avoid some of the worst effects of climate change by curbing global greenhouse gas emissions via individual, nonbinding national plans.

— nicole winfield, chicagotribune.com, "Pope warns climate change turning Earth into desert, garbage," 6 July 2018
There’s no shortage of interest in the idea: Janssen (JNJ) is testing an esketamine nasal spray, which, when combined with an oral antidepressant, has shown promise in quickly curbing symptoms of serious depression.

— megan thielking, STAT, "Companies are racing to develop fast-acting depression drugs — but the process is tricky," 3 July 2018
The concept of indirectly curbing cancer by cutting an immune system brake is no longer speculative.

— marie mccullough, Philly.com, "Can the abortion pill treat advanced lung cancer? This infertility expert wants to find out," 3 July 2018
This is not the first time Uganda’s government has taken actions widely seen as curbing social media use in the country.

— rodney muhumuza, The Seattle Times, "Ugandans angered by new tax for using social media," 2 July 2018
Organizers put the Texas State Rifle Association’s booth in the exhibition hall next to Moms Demand Action, a group calling for curbing access to firearms.

— jeremy wallace, Houston Chronicle, "Texas Democrats warn it will take more to win than anti-Trump message," 21 June 2018

Origin and Etymology of curb

derivative of ¹curb

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1530

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

curb Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of curb

restrain, check, curb, bridle mean to hold back from or control in doing something. restrain suggests holding back by force or persuasion from acting or from going to extremes.

- restrained themselves from laughing

check implies restraining or impeding a progress, activity, or impetus.

- trying to check government spending

curb suggests an abrupt or drastic checking.

- learn to curb your appetite

bridle implies keeping under control by subduing or holding in.

- bridle an impulse to throw the book down

CURB Defined for English Language Learners

curb

noun

Definition of curb for English Language Learners

: a short border along the edge of a street that is usually made of stone or concrete
: something that controls or limits something else

curb

verb

Definition of curb for English Language Learners

: to control or limit (something)

CURB Defined for Kids

curb

noun \ ˈkərb \

Definition of curb for Students

1 : an enclosing border (as of stone or concrete) often along the edge of a street

2 : ¹check 2

a curb on rising prices

curb

verb

Definition of curb for Students

curbed; curbing

: to control or limit

curb spending

This will curb your appetite.

Medical Dictionary

curb

noun \ ˈkərb \

medical Definition of curb

: a swelling on the back of the hind leg of a horse just behind the lowest part of the hock joint that is due to strain or rupture of the ligament and generally causes lameness