Posts

Showing posts with the label curvedball

What is a curveball?

In American English a curveball is a deceptive or unexpected action which poses a new challenge e.g. He threw a curveball by threatening to walk out of the meeting.  

What is a curveball?

Image
A deceptive or unexpected action which poses a new challenge e.g.   He threw a curveball by threatening to walk out of the meeting.   Comes from baseball and refers to a ball pitched to curve away from the hitter. There are many other examples of baseball terminology entering general English -  three strkes and your out, hit a home run, touch base.  Interestingly these are commonly used in British English while cricket expressions  sticky wicket, a good innings  are unfamiliar to most Americans.