curb

The word "curb" serves multiple purposes in the English language, functioning both as a noun and a verb. As a noun, it refers to the edge of a sidewalk, often made of stone or concrete, and is known as "马路牙子" or "道缘" in Simplified Chinese6. Additionally, it can also denote something that restrains or holds back, such as an enclosing framework like a wall of stones around the top of a well7.

In its verbal form, "curb" means to control or restrain something, as in curbing one's desires or actions. For example, it can be used in sentences like "He is someone who finds it difficult to curb his fleshly desires"4 or "The police are trying to curb under-age drinking"9. It is also commonly used to describe the action of controlling spending, as in "You really need to curb your spending"4.

The pronunciation of "curb" in American English is [kɜrb], and in British English, it is [kɜː(r)b]2. It is important to note that in American English, "curb" is the standard spelling, while in British English, the term "kerb" is more commonly used6. The word can be translated to "控制", "限制", "约束", or "抑制" in Chinese, depending on the context in which it is used125.