curveball
A curveball is an unpredictable pitch thrown by a baseball player that drops down suddenly.
The word "curveball" has two main uses. In sports, it's most commonly used to describe a type of baseball pitch that curves or bends as it moves through the air, making it difficult for batters to hit. A good curveball can be very effective in baseball games, and pitchers often practice perfecting their curveballs to outsmart hitters.
The word "curve" can also apply to other things outside of sports, such as a road that curves through hills or mountains, or the shape of a design on a piece of clothing. But in this case, we don't usually call it a "curveball." When it comes to baseball, though, a curveball is just one of many special pitches that players use to try and get ahead.
How common is "curveball"?
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
noun
(baseball) A forespin pitch thrown by rotating the index and middle fingers down and resulting in motion down "curve"
Example: He bit on a curveball in the dirt.
Real examples of "curveball" in context
