Word
kerb
US/ˈkɝb/
UK/kˈɜːb/
Countable noun
Definition
n. the raised edge between the road and the path where people walk. In American English it is spelled curb.
n. the raised stone or concrete edge forming the boundary between a pavement and a roadway. Spelt 'curb' in American English.
Examples
“She steps off the kerb to cross the road.”
“He parked too close and scraped his wheel against the kerb outside the shop.”
“Rainwater ran along the kerb in a thin stream, carrying fallen leaves toward the drain at the corner.”
Examples
simple
“She steps off the kerb to cross the road.”
contextual
“He parked too close and scraped his wheel against the kerb outside the shop.”
complex
“Rainwater ran along the kerb in a thin stream, carrying fallen leaves toward the drain at the corner.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “kerb” in context.
Verb
01. hit kerb
“The driver hit the kerb while trying to park.”
verb + noun
02. kerb drops
“The kerb drops here to let cars enter the driveway.”
noun + verb
03. kerb separates
“The kerb separates the road from the footpath.”
noun + verb
04. mount kerb
“Do not mount the kerb when you park your car.”
verb + noun
05. scrape kerb
“She scraped the kerb and damaged the tyre.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. dropped kerb
“There is a dropped kerb here for wheelchairs and pushchairs.”
adj + noun
07. high kerb
“The high kerb was difficult for my grandmother to climb.”
adj + noun
08. low kerb
“He easily stepped over the low kerb with his bike.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. edge of kerb
“He sat on the edge of the kerb to wait for the bus.”
noun + prep + noun
10. kerb stone
“One loose kerb stone sticks out into the road.”
noun + noun
11. park close to the kerb
“Try to park close to the kerb and not in the middle.”
12. pull up to the kerb
“The taxi pulled up to the kerb outside the station.”
Real-World Examples
“Footage posted on social media on Sunday shows the actors playing the Beatles lining up on the kerb and walking across the road.” “Mercedes said the problem was caused by a front left wheel shield failure after he ran over the kerb at Copse.” “Bodybuilder Kevin Cassidy said he was the one who stopped traffic so the family could cross to safety - and then scooped up several to help them up a high kerb.” Etymology
From curb (“raised border or frame”) [from mid-17th c.]. Doublet of curve.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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