curb

noun

\ ˈkərb

Definition of curb

(Entry 1 of 2)

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.

6 [ from the fact that it originally transacted its business on the street ] : a market for trading in securities not listed on a stock exchange

curb

verb

curbed; curbing; curbs

Definition of curb (Entry 2 of 2)

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

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about curb

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Choose the Right Synonym for curb

Verb

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

Examples of curb in a Sentence

Noun

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

Verb

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

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Investigators believe a medical issue — possibly a seizure — caused the male driver to veer off a nearby road, over a curb and into the patio in Millcreek, Unified Police Sgt. — Washington Post, "Truck plows into Utah Starbucks patio, killing 1, hurting 3," 8 June 2018 Behlmer drove over the curb and crashed his Ford Mustang into a bed of rocks, according to the report, which did not mention any injuries. — Steven Martinez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Speed a factor in wrong-way crash in Port Washington, police say," 11 Apr. 2018 Democrats like Kennedy and Biden were terrified that a right-wing court would roll back the gains of that era — civil and voting rights for non-whites, reproductive rights for women, and curbs on the abuses of law enforcement. — Will Bunch, Philly.com, "Borked!! GOP's long game finally bringing nightmare of Robert Bork's America to Supreme Court | Will Bunch," 28 June 2018 Image Michael Golfo, who is legally blind, began to inch off the curb at Lexington Avenue and 63rd Street on his way home from work on Tuesday after sensing the whir of traffic moving to his left. — Aaron Robertson, New York Times, "Blind Pedestrians Sue the City to Improve Crosswalk Safety," 27 June 2018 Reports that the Trump administration is planning additional curbs on Chinese trade and investment with in U.S. sent the entire stock market tumbling, but tech stocks were hit particularly hard. — Aaron Pressman, Fortune, "Why Tech Stocks Are Tanking," 25 June 2018 Just two days ago, American representatives were still taking part by condemning issues like constraints on civil society in Egypt and curbs on a free press in Bahrain. — Jamey Keaten, BostonGlobe.com, "Allies unhappy with US walkout from UN body," 21 June 2018 There are a couple of distinctly different ways to explain the series of very fortunate events that put Nathan Taylor and Elaine Barnes on the same curb in Charlotte’s Elizabeth neighborhood on the day that Taylor almost died. — Théoden Janes, charlotteobserver, "His heart stopped. How it got working again is an amazing story. Was it luck, or God?," 28 May 2018 The House and Senate have also started to move separate measures that would overhaul the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) that include similar curbs on lifting penalties on ZTE. — Phil Mattingly, CNN, "Trump administration has briefed Congress on tentative deal with China's ZTE," 25 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The five groups, which include Greenpeace, have long campaigned for the closure of Europe’s coal plants, arguing that their greenhouse gas emissions undermine international efforts to curb global warming. — Frank Jordans, The Seattle Times, "Groups target Europe’s coal companies over harmful emissions," 20 Nov. 2018 Fourteen years later, Obama reached an agreement with China to curb cyberattacks. — Alex Ward, Vox, "Trump’s China strategy is the most radical in decades — and it’s failing," 18 Sep. 2018 Preliminary data from 2018, however, suggested that the numbers may be trending downward in the wake of the Trump administration's efforts to curb the epidemic. — Gregg Re, Fox News, "Senate approves bipartisan opioid legislation, cracking down on shipments Trump called 'almost a form of warfare'," 18 Sep. 2018 Global economic growth has pushed the price recovery, as have the loss of production in Venezuela, the pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia to curb production and, above all, the prospect of sanctions on Iran and perhaps war with it. — The Economist, "Breaking the curseWhy Gulf economies struggle to wean themselves off oil," 21 June 2018 In 2016, prices for thermal coal more than doubled after China curbed production. — Bloomberg.com, "The War on Coal Is Making the World’s Top Mine Owners a Lot Richer," 1 May 2018 No European leader has a better relationship with the president, and Macron hopes to tap that goodwill to persuade Trump not to abandon an international agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program. — Fortune, "Trump Threatens Iran Over Nuclear Program in Macron Meeting," 24 Apr. 2018 Others, however, remain skeptical that Mexican authorities will do much more to curb opium poppy production. — Author: Joshua Partlow, Anchorage Daily News, "US has been quietly helping Mexico with new, high-tech ways to fight opium," 16 Apr. 2018 Washington is alleging Chinese cyberattacks, while taking steps to curb the growing market share of Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co. over concerns its equipment, found on networks around the world, could be used for espionage. — WSJ, "Year of Living Dangerously With Friends and Foes," 17 Dec. 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.

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Statistics for curb

Last Updated

11 Jan 2019

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Time Traveler for curb

The first known use of curb was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for curb

curb

noun

English Language Learners Definition of curb

(Entry 1 of 2)

: 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

English Language Learners Definition of curb (Entry 2 of 2)

: to control or limit (something)

See the full definition for curb in the English Language Learners Dictionary

curb

noun

\ ˈkərb

Kids Definition of curb

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

2 : check entry 1 sense 2 a curb on rising prices

curb

verb

curbed; curbing

Kids Definition of curb (Entry 2 of 2)

: to control or limit curb spending This will curb your appetite.

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