• (America) IPA: /kɝb/
• (RP) IPA: /kɜːb/

curb (plural curbs)

1. (American spelling, Canadian spelling) A concrete margin along the edge of a road; a kerb (UK, Australia, New Zealand)
2. A raised margin along the edge of something, such as a well or the eye of a dome, as a strengthening.
3. Something that checks or restrains; a restraint.

   • By these men, religion, that should be / The curb, is made the spur of tyranny.

4. A riding or driving bit for a horse that has rein action which amplifies the pressure in the mouth by leverage advantage placing pressure on the poll via the crown piece of the bridle and chin groove via a curb chain.

   • He that before ran in the pastures wild / Felt the stiff curb control his angry jaws.

5. (North America) A sidewalk, covered or partially enclosed, bordering the airport terminal road system with adjacent paved areas to permit vehicles to off-load or load passengers.
6. A swelling on the back part of the hind leg of a horse, just behind the lowest part of the hock joint, generally causing lameness.

• German: Beschränkung, Zurückhaltung, Zwang, Einschränkung, Mäßigung, Beherrschung
• Portuguese: freio

• German: Kandare, Zügel

curb (curbs, present participle curbing; past and past participle curbed)

1. (transitive) To check, restrain or control.
   • "Curb your dog."

   • Where pinching want must curb thy warm desires.

2. (transitive) To rein in.
3. (transitive) To furnish with a curb, as a well; to restrain by a curb, as a bank of earth.
4. (transitive, slang) To force to "bite the curb" (hit the pavement curb); see curb stomp.
5. (transitive) To damage vehicle wheels or tires by running into or over a pavement curb.
6. (transitive) To bend or curve.

   • crooked and curbed lines

7. (intransitive) To crouch; to cringe.
   • c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act III, scene iv]:

     Virtue itself of vice must pardon beg, / Yea, curb and woo for leave to do him good.

• (check, restrain, control) behedge, curtail, limit; See also Thesaurus:curb
• (rein in)
• (furnish with a curb)
• (force to hit the curb) curb stomp
• (damage wheels on a curb)
• (bend or curve) bow, flex, incurvate; See also Thesaurus:bend
• (crouch or cringe) bend, fawn, stoop

• curvaceous
• curvature
• curve
• curvy