curveball

/ˈkɜːvbɔːl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɜːrvbɔːl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkərv-ˌbȯl/ (ame, mw)

curveball — noun

  • curveballsingular
  • curveballsplural

1. An unexpected and often difficult situation, question, or event that someone mus

1.名詞B2
釋義

An unexpected and often difficult situation, question, or event that someone must deal with — like a last-minute test question or a sudden change in plans that makes everything harder.

例句

The sudden rainstorm threw Mei-Lin's outdoor wedding plans a huge curveball.

collocation: throw [someone] a curveball

Dmitri felt ready for the interview until the hiring manager threw him a curveball about his biggest weakness.

informal register; verb phrase: throw [someone] a curveball + about [topic]

同義詞
  • surprise

    more general; a surprise can be pleasant, while a curveball is always difficult

  • shock

    emphasizes emotional impact more than the difficulty of dealing with the situation

  • dilemma

    suggests a difficult choice between two options, whereas a curveball is any unexpected difficulty

反義詞
  • gimme

    informal American English for something very easy, the opposite of a difficult surprise

  • smooth sailing

    idiom meaning easy progress without obstacles

文法句型

throw (someone) a curveball

face a curveball

用法筆記

Almost always used with the verb 'throw' in the idiom 'throw (someone) a curveball'. The subject can be a person, event, or the abstract noun 'life'. Unlike sense 2, this sense is not restricted to baseball contexts.

常見錯誤

❌The surprise party was a curveball for her.
✅The surprise question during the presentation threw her a curveball.
💡The word typically appears in the verb phrase 'throw someone a curveball', not alone with 'be'.

2. In baseball, a throw by the pitcher that moves along a curving path toward the b

2.名詞B1
釋義

In baseball, a throw by the pitcher that moves along a curving path toward the batter instead of going straight, making it harder to strike accurately.

例句

Chen Wei stepped up to bat but could not read the curveball coming his way.

collocation: throw a curveball / hit a curveball

Javier threw a slow curveball that dropped sharply just before crossing the plate.

subject is the pitcher; verb: throw

同義詞
  • breaking ball

    more general term covering any pitch that curves, including sliders and screwballs

  • offspeed pitch

    broader category referring to any pitch thrown slower than a fastball to deceive the batter

反義詞
  • fastball

    a pitch thrown straight and at high speed, opposite in trajectory and pace

文法句型

throw a curveball

hit a curveball

用法筆記

This sense is used almost exclusively in the context of baseball. Outside North America, readers may not be familiar with the term; a brief explanation may be needed.

常見錯誤

❌The tennis player hit a curveball.
✅The baseball pitcher threw a curveball.
💡A curveball is a specific baseball pitch, not any curving shot in other sports.