curveball
Pitcher's deceptive throw
A curveball is a baseball pitch thrown with spin that causes it to curve as it approaches the batter, making it harder to hit.
The figurative meaning dominates everyday usage: an unexpected development that catches someone off guard.
Life threw me a curveball when I lost my job.
To throw someone a curveball is to surprise them with something difficult or unforeseen.
Adjustable interface element
- changeupDeliberately slow pitch
- sinkerWeight on fishing line
- splitterSomething that separates
- cutterOne who severs
four-seamer · two-seamer · strikeout · pitcher · catcher · mound · bullpen · windup
Curved line segment
- breakInterrupt continuity
- dropFall or release
- movementChange in position
- spinRapid rotation around axis
rotation · velocity · flight · parabola · snap · bite · sweep · dip
Not anticipated beforehand
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- twistRotating motion or surprise
- unforeseenNot predicted or expected
- unpredictableCannot be anticipated
turnabout · upset · jolt · stunner · abrupt · startling · sudden · unanticipated
slider
Adjustable interface element
cutter · four-seamer · two-seamer · strikeout · pitcher · catcher · mound · bullpen · windup · delivery
arc
Curved line segment
spin · rotation · velocity · flight · parabola · snap · bite · sweep · dip · tumble
unexpected
Not anticipated beforehand
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- twistRotating motion or surprise
- unforeseenNot predicted or expected
unpredictable · turnabout · upset · jolt · stunner · abrupt · startling · sudden · unanticipated · blindside
trick
Deliberate deception
ruse · ploy · stratagem · guile · subterfuge · disguise · misdirection · sleight · artifice · cunning
- pitchingslider, changeup, sinker, cutter, splitter
- baseballbaseball, bat, pitchers, catchers, pitcher
- pitchslider, changeup, sinker, cutter, splitter
- plot twistsplot twist, twist ending, surprise ending, unexpected turn, final reveal
- setbacksfailing, back to square one, stuck, losing, stumbles
- sports idiomsthrow in the towel, slam dunk, out of left field, level playing field, hit it out of the park
curveballfastball
Maximum-speed baseball throw
heater · two-seam fastball · cutter · sinker · changeup
curveballsure thing
Guaranteed outcome or agreement
foregone conclusion · certainty · no-brainer · standard procedure · known quantity
curveballstraight shot
Direct unimpeded trajectory
direct approach · plain dealing · transparency · straight talk
- throw someone a curveballSurprise with something unexpected