curb

verb

/kɜːb/

/kɜːrb/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they curb	/kɜːb/ /kɜːrb/
he / she / it curbs	/kɜːbz/ /kɜːrbz/
past simple curbed	/kɜːbd/ /kɜːrbd/
past participle curbed	/kɜːbd/ /kɜːrbd/
-ing form curbing	/ˈkɜːbɪŋ/ /ˈkɜːrbɪŋ/

jump to other results

curb something to control or limit something, especially something bad synonym check
- He needs to learn to curb his temper.
- a new law designed to curb harmful emissions from factories
Extra Examples
- This legislation will drastically curb the power of local authorities.
- a range of policies aimed at curbing inflation
- New measures should curb the speed of cars travelling through the village.
- She has to curb her natural exuberance.
- They were criticized for failing to curb public spending.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- drastically
verb + curb
- attempt to
- try to
- be designed to
- …
phrases
- aimed at curbing something
- an attempt to curb something
- an effort to curb something
- …
See full entry
Word Originlate 15th cent. (denoting a strap fastened to the bit): from Old French courber ‘bend, bow’, from Latin curvare ‘to bend’, from curvus ‘bent’.

curb

noun

/kɜːb/

/kɜːrb/

jump to other results

curb (on something) something that controls and puts limits on something
- curbs on government spending
- Many companies have imposed curbs on smoking in the workplace.
- We are in favour of strict curbs on government spending.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
verb + curb
- impose
- introduce
- put
- …
preposition
- curb on
See full entry
enlarge image
(North American English)
(British English kerb)
the edge of the raised path at the side of a road, usually made of long pieces of stone
- The bus mounted the curb (= went onto the sidewalk) and hit a tree.
Topics Transport by car or lorryc2

Word Originlate 15th cent. (denoting a strap fastened to the bit): from Old French courber ‘bend, bow’, from Latin curvare ‘to bend’, from curvus ‘bent’.