kerb
part of speech
noun (a kerb, kerbs) — British spelling; American: curb
meaning for a pupil
1) The kerb is the raised edge of a pavement (sidewalk) where it meets the road. tree →
2) In American English it is spelled curb. tree →
sense in the lessons
In road safety lessons in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, the Green Cross Code says: find a safe place, stop at the kerb, look and listen both ways, and cross when it is clear; never step off the kerb without looking. Cars park along the kerb. Wheelchair users need dropped kerbs (low kerbs) to cross. Phrases: stop at the kerb, step off the kerb, dropped kerb, kerbside.
examples
- Stop at the kerb and look both ways. tree →
- Don't step off the kerb without checking for cars. tree →
- The car parked next to the kerb. tree →
- She tripped on the kerb and grazed her knee. tree →
- Wheelchairs need dropped kerbs to cross the road. tree →
- Wait on the kerb until the green man shows. tree →
- The bins go out to the kerb on Monday nights. tree →
- Stand well back from the kerb when buses pass. tree →
note
British/Irish/Australian spelling: kerb; American and Canadian: curb (which also means «to control or limit», like curb your anger). A sidewalk (US) is called a pavement or footpath elsewhere.
In the corpora
- Before crossing you stop at the kerb, look both ways and listen for traffic.
- On a wet day walk away from the kerb, because cars splash and wet roads make it harder for cars to stop.
- Kieran split his chin on the kerb and needed four stitches.
- A Station Road boy shoved Maddie so hard she fell on the kerb and split her lip.
- A split lip or a fall on a kerb can need a doctor, and head injuries can be serious.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «kerb» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.