curve

n. [ See Curve, a., Cirb. ] 1. A bending without angles; that which is bent; a flexure; as, a curve in a railway or canal. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Geom.) A line described according to some low, and having no finite portion of it a straight line. [ 1913 Webster ]

Axis of a curve. See under Axis. --
Curve of quickest descent. See Brachystochrone. --
Curve tracing (Math.), the process of determining the shape, location, singular points, and other peculiarities of a curve from its equation. --
Plane curve (Geom.), a curve such that when a plane passes through three points of the curve, it passes through all the other points of the curve. Any other curve is called a curve of double curvature, or a twisted curve. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Curved p. pr. & vb. n. Curving. ] [ L. curvare., fr. curvus. See Curve, a., Curb. ] To bend; to crook; as, to curve a line; to curve a pipe; to cause to swerve from a straight course; as, to curve a ball in pitching it. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To bend or turn gradually from a given direction; as, the road curves to the right. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. not straight; having or marked by curves. Opposite of straight. [ Narrower terms: arced, arched, arching, arciform, arcuate, bowed; falcate, sickle-shaped; flexuous; incurvate, incurved: recurved, recurvate; semicircular: serpentine, snaky: sinuate, sinuous, wavy: sinusoidal ]
Syn. -- curving. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. (Botany) curved with the micropyle near the base almost touching its stalk; -- of a plant ovule. Opposite of orthotropous.
Syn. -- campylotropous. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The state of being curved. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Curveted or -vetted; p. pr. & vb. n. Curveting or -vetting. ] [ Cf. It. corvettare. See Curvet, n. ] 1. To make a curvet; to leap; to bound. “Oft and high he did curvet.” Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To leap and frisk; to frolic. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To cause to curvet. Landor. [ 1913 Webster ]