# curry

/ˈkəɹi/ (US) · /kˈʌɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/curry
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. spiced dish

noun · CEFR A1

a dish of meat, vegetables, or fish cooked in a spicy sauce, originally from South Asia.

For teachers: a dish originating in South Asian cuisine, typically consisting of meat or vegetables simmered in a complex, spiced sauce.

- We decided to order a vegetable curry and some rice for dinner.
- The chef prepared a traditional lamb curry, balancing the heat of the chillies with a rich blend of aromatic spices and coconut milk.

### 2. to win favour

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to try to get someone to like you or give you an advantage by being extra nice or flattering.

For teachers: to seek to advance one's own interests by providing flattery or helpfulness to a superior; almost exclusively used in the phrase 'curry favour'.

- The new employee tried to curry favour with the manager by bringing him coffee every day.
- The junior diplomat was clearly attempting to curry favour with the ambassador by praising his recent, rather controversial, policy decisions.

### 3. to groom a horse

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to clean and brush a horse's coat using a special tool.

For teachers: to groom a horse using a curry comb to remove dirt and loose hair from the coat.

- After the long ride, she spent an hour in the stable to curry her horse.
- Proper stable management requires the handler to curry the animal daily to maintain skin health and ensure a sleek appearance.

### 4. to transform a function

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to change a function that takes many inputs into a series of functions that each take one input.

For teachers: to transform a function that takes multiple arguments into a sequence of functions, each taking a single argument.

- The programmer decided to curry the function to make the code easier to reuse.
- In functional programming, you can curry a function to allow for partial application, which simplifies the creation of specialised utility methods.

## Examples

- We are having a spicy vegetable curry for dinner.
- The local restaurant is famous for its authentic lamb curry and fresh garlic naan.
- While many international diners associate the term with a specific powder, traditional curry relies on a unique blend of fresh aromatics and toasted spices tailored to each specific ingredient.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.