throw someone a curve

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From the curve ball in baseball, where a spin is employed to adjust the path of the ball unexpectedly.

Verb

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throw someone a curve (third-person singular simple present throws someone a curve, present participle throwing someone a curve, simple past threw someone a curve, past participle thrown someone a curve)

  1. (baseball) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: To pitch a curve ball.
  2. (figuratively) To surprise; to introduce something unexpected or requiring a quick reaction or correction.
    He really threw me a curve when he asked me a personal question at work.

Translations

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See also

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