recurve

English

Etymology

From re- +‎ curve.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈkɜː(ɹ)v/

Noun

recurve (countable and uncountable, plural recurves)

1. A type of knife blade shape that involves several curves including a concave curve on a portion of the edge, resulting in a belly that is lower than the handle bottom.

   not as much recurve as a kukri would have, but plenty enough to make me smile

2. A recurve bow.
3. A landform consisting of a hook at the tip of a coastal spit.

Derived terms

• recurve-billed bushbird

Verb

recurve (third-person singular simple present recurves, present participle recurving, simple past and past participle recurved)

1. To curve again, to rebend.
2. To curve back on itself.
3. (of a storm) To change direction.
   • 1934, Ivan Ray Tannehill, The Hurricane, page 6:

     Nearly all of the storms which originate in the Cape Verde region first move in a westerly direction over the Atlantic and later recurve in a northerly or northeasterly direction.

   • 2006, Patrick J. Fitzpatrick, Hurricanes: A Reference Handbook, →ISBN, page 227:

     He also developed a methodology for predicting when a hurricane will recurve to the north and for predicting average storm motion based on the latitude and time of year.

Derived terms

• recurve bow

Translations

of a hurricane

• Portuguese: recurvar (pt)
• Spanish: recurva f

Portuguese

Verb

recurve

1. inflection of recurvar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Spanish

Verb

recurve

1. inflection of recurvar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative