Edge vs. Curve — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 21, 2024
An edge is a distinct line where two surfaces meet, often sharp or clearly defined, while a curve is a smooth, continuous line or surface that deviates from being straight, typically without sharp angles.
Difference Between Edge and Curve
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Edges are linear features that define the boundary between two faces of a solid object, serving as a meeting point that can be straight or angular. Curves, on the other hand, are defined by their smooth, flowing nature, making them fundamental in mathematics, physics, and design for describing shapes and motions that are not straight.
The concept of an edge implies a certain abruptness or precision, often associated with solid objects and materials. In contrast, curves suggest fluidity and continuity, applicable in various contexts, from the natural curves found in landscapes to the engineered curves in modern architecture and design.
While edges and curves serve different purposes and convey different visual and structural qualities, both are integral to the conceptualization and creation of objects, spaces, and visual representations. The interplay between edges and curves can enhance functionality, aesthetic appeal, and the overall perception of designed objects and spaces.
Comparison Chart
Definition
A line where two surfaces meet, often sharp.
A smooth, flowing line deviating from straightness.
Representation
Linear, defining boundaries.
Continuous, indicating fluidity and motion.
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Function
Delineates shapes, contributes to structural integrity.
Describes motion, enhances aesthetics and functionality.
Examples
Edges of a cube, the sharp edge of a knife.
Curves of a river, aerodynamic curves in car design.
Perception
Associated with precision and abruptness.
Suggests smoothness and continuity.
Compare with Definitions
Edge
Edge of a smartphone.
The smartphone's edge is designed for comfortable grip.
Curve
Curve of a river.
The river's curve was visible from the mountain top.
Edge
Edges of a polygon.
A hexagon has six edges.
Curve
Curve of a road.
The road ahead curves to the left.
Edge
The edge of a book.
She ran her finger along the book's edge.
Curve
Curve on a graph.
The curve shows the growth of the population over time.
Edge
Edge of a step.
Watch your step at the edge of the staircase.
Curve
Curveball in sports.
The pitcher threw an impressive curveball.
Edge
The edge of a blade.
The knife's edge was sharp enough to cut through paper.
Curve
Curves in architecture.
The building's architecture featured elegant curves.
Edge
The outside limit of an object, area, or surface
She perched on the edge of a desk
A willow tree at the water's edge
Curve
In mathematics, a curve (also called a curved line in older texts) is an object similar to a line, but that does not have to be straight. Intuitively, a curve may be thought of as the trace left by a moving point.
Edge
The sharpened side of the blade of a cutting implement or weapon
A knife with a razor-sharp edge
Curve
A line that deviates from straightness in a smooth, continuous fashion.
Edge
A quality or factor which gives superiority over close rivals
His cars have the edge over his rivals'
Curve
A surface that deviates from planarity in a smooth, continuous fashion.
Edge
Provide with a border or edge
The pool is edged with paving
Curve
Something characterized by such a line or surface, especially a rounded line or contour of the human body.
Edge
Move or cause to move gradually or furtively in a particular direction
Hazel quietly edged him away from the others
She tried to edge away from him
Curve
A relatively smooth bend in a road or other course.
Edge
Give an intense or sharp quality to
The bitterness that edged her voice
Curve
A line representing data on a graph.
Edge
Strike (the ball) with the edge of the bat; strike a ball delivered by (the bowler) with the edge of the bat
Haynes edged to slip
He edged a ball into his pad
Curve
A trend derived from or as if from such a graph
"Once again, the politicians are behind the curve" (Ted Kennedy).
Edge
Ski with one's weight on the edges of one's skis
You will be edging early, controlling a parallel turn
Curve
A graphic representation showing the relative performance of individuals as measured against each other, used especially as a method of grading students in which the assignment of grades is based on predetermined proportions of students.
Edge
A thin, sharpened side, as of the blade of a cutting instrument.
Curve
The graph of a function on a coordinate plane.
Edge
The degree of sharpness of a cutting blade.
Curve
The intersection of two surfaces in three dimensions.
Edge
A penetrating, incisive quality
"His simplicity sets off the satire, and gives it a finer edge" (William Hazlitt).
Curve
The graph of the solutions to any equation of two variables.
Edge
A slight but noticeable sharpness, harshness, or discomforting quality
His voice had an edge to it.
Curve
(Baseball) A curve ball.
Edge
Keenness, as of desire or enjoyment; zest
The brisk walk gave an edge to my appetite.
Curve
(Slang) Something that is unexpected or designed to trick or deceive.
Edge
The line or area farthest away from the middle
Lifted the carpet's edge.
Curve
To move in or take the shape of a curve
The path curves around the lake.
Edge
The line of intersection of two surfaces
The edge of a brick.
Curve
To cause to curve.
Edge
A rim or brink
The edge of a cliff.
Curve
(Baseball) To pitch (a ball) with a curve.
Edge
The point at which something is likely to begin
On the edge of war.
Curve
To grade (students, for example) on a curve.
Edge
A margin of superiority; an advantage
A slight edge over the opposition.
Curve
(obsolete) Bent without angles; crooked; curved. Category:en:Curves
A curve line
A curve surface
Edge
To give an edge to (a blade); sharpen.
Curve
A gentle bend, such as in a road.
You should slow down when approaching a curve.
Edge
To tilt (a ski or both skis) in such a way that an edge or both edges bite into the snow.
Curve
A simple figure containing no straight portions and no angles; a curved line.
She scribbled a curve on the paper.
Edge
To put a border or edge on
Edged the quilt with embroidery.
Curve
A grading system based on the scale of performance of a group used to normalize a right-skewed grade distribution (with more lower scores) into a bell curve, so that more can receive higher grades, regardless of their actual knowledge of the subject.
The teacher was nice and graded the test on a curve.
Edge
To act as or be an edge of
Bushes that edged the garden path.
Curve
(analytic geometry) A continuous map from a one-dimensional space to a multidimensional space.
Edge
To advance or push slightly or gradually
The dog edged the ball with its nose.
Curve
(geometry) A one-dimensional figure of non-zero length; the graph of a continuous map from a one-dimensional space.
Edge
To trim or shape the edge of
Edge a lawn.
Curve
(algebraic geometry) An algebraic curve; a polynomial relation of the planar coordinates.
Edge
To surpass or beat by a small margin. Often used with out
The runner edged her opponent out at the last moment.
Curve
(topology) A one-dimensional continuum.
Edge
To move gradually or hesitantly
The child edged toward the door.
Curve
The attractive shape of a woman's body.
Edge
The boundary line of a surface.
Curve
(transitive) To bend; to crook.
To curve a line
To curve a pipe
Edge
(geometry) A one-dimensional face of a polytope. In particular, the joining line between two vertices of a polygon; the place where two faces of a polyhedron meet.
Curve
(transitive) To cause to swerve from a straight course.
To curve a ball in pitching it
Edge
An advantage.
I have the edge on him.
Curve
(intransitive) To bend or turn gradually from a given direction.
The road curves to the right
Edge
The thin cutting side of the blade of an instrument, such as an ax, knife, sword, or scythe; that which cuts as an edge does, or wounds deeply, etc.
Curve
(transitive) To grade on a curve (bell curve of a normal distribution).
The teacher will curve the test.
Edge
A sharp terminating border; a margin; a brink; an extreme verge.
The cup is right on the edge of the table.
He is standing on the edge of a precipice.
Curve
(transitive) (slang) To reject, to turn down romantic advances.
I was once curved three times by the same woman.
Edge
Sharpness; readiness or fitness to cut; keenness; intenseness of desire.
Curve
Bent without angles; crooked; curved; as, a curve line; a curve surface.
Edge
The border or part adjacent to the line of division; the beginning or early part (of a period of time)
In the edge of evening
Curve
A bending without angles; that which is bent; a flexure; as, a curve in a railway or canal.
Edge
(cricket) A shot where the ball comes off the edge of the bat, often unintentionally.
Curve
A line described according to some low, and having no finite portion of it a straight line.
Edge
(graph theory) A connected pair of vertices in a graph.
Curve
To bend; to crook; as, to curve a line; to curve a pipe; to cause to swerve from a straight course; as, to curve a ball in pitching it.
Edge
The point of data production in an organization (the focus of edge computing), as opposed to the cloud.
Curve
To bend or turn gradually from a given direction; as, the road curves to the right.
Edge
(transitive) To move an object slowly and carefully in a particular direction.
He edged the book across the table.
The muggers edged her into an alley and demanded money.
Curve
The trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
Edge
(intransitive) To move slowly and carefully in a particular direction.
He edged away from her.
Curve
A line on a graph representing data
Edge
(usually in the form 'just edge') To win by a small margin.
Curve
A baseball thrown with spin so that its path curves as it approach the batter
Edge
To hit the ball with an edge of the bat, causing a fine deflection.
Curve
The property possessed by the curving of a line or surface
Edge
(transitive) To trim the margin of a lawn where the grass meets the sidewalk, usually with an electric or gas-powered lawn edger.
Curve
Curved segment (of a road or river or railroad track etc.)
Edge
(transitive) To furnish with an edge; to construct an edging.
Curve
Turn sharply; change direction abruptly;
The car cut to the left at the intersection
The motorbike veered to the right
Edge
To furnish with an edge, as a tool or weapon; to sharpen.
Curve
Extend in curves and turns;
The road winds around the lake
Edge
(figurative) To make sharp or keen; to incite; to exasperate; to goad; to urge or egg on.
Curve
Form an arch or curve;
Her back arches
Her hips curve nicely
Edge
To delay one's orgasm so as to remain almost at the point of orgasm.
Curve
Bend or cause to bend;
He crooked his index finger
The road curved sharply
Edge
The thin cutting side of the blade of an instrument; as, the edge of an ax, knife, sword, or scythe.
He which hath the sharp sword with two edges.
Slander,Whose edge is sharper than the sword.
Curve
Form a curl, curve, or kink;
The cigar smoke curled up at the ceiling
Edge
Any sharp terminating border; a margin; a brink; extreme verge; as, the edge of a table, a precipice.
Upon the edge of yonder coppice.
In worst extremes, and on the perilous edgeOf battle.
Pursue even to the very edge of destruction.
Edge
Sharpness; readiness or fitness to cut; keenness; intenseness of desire.
The full edge of our indignation.
Death and persecution lose all the ill that they can have, if we do not set an edge upon them by our fears and by our vices.
Edge
The border or part adjacent to the line of division; the beginning or early part; as, in the edge of evening.
Edge
To furnish with an edge as a tool or weapon; to sharpen.
To edge her champion's sword.
Edge
To shape or dress the edge of, as with a tool.
Edge
To furnish with a fringe or border; as, to edge a dress; to edge a garden with box.
Hills whose tops were edged with groves.
Edge
To make sharp or keen, figuratively; to incite; to exasperate; to goad; to urge or egg on.
By such reasonings, the simple were blinded, and the malicious edged.
Edge
To move by little and little or cautiously, as by pressing forward edgewise; as, edging their chairs forwards.
Edge
To move sideways; to move gradually; as, edge along this way.
Edge
To sail close to the wind.
I must edge up on a point of wind.
Edge
The boundary of a surface
Edge
A sharp side formed by the intersection of two surfaces of an object;
He rounded the edges of the box
Edge
A line determining the limits of an area
Edge
The attribute of urgency;
His voice had an edge to it
Edge
A slight competitive advantage;
He had an edge on the competition
Edge
A strip near the boundary of an object;
He jotted a note on the margin of the page
Edge
Advance slowly, as if by inches;
He edged towards the car
Edge
Provide with a border or edge;
Edge the tablecloth with embroidery
Edge
Lie adjacent to another or share a boundary;
Canada adjoins the U.S.
England marches with Scotland
Edge
Provide with an edge;
Edge a blade
Common Curiosities
What defines an edge in geometry?
In geometry, an edge is defined as the line segment where two faces of a polyhedron meet.
How are curves used in road design?
Curves in road design are used to guide drivers safely around bends, considering factors like vehicle speed and road conditions.
How does the concept of an edge apply to digital images?
In digital images, edges represent the boundaries between different colors or brightness levels, which can be used for image segmentation and enhancement.
What role do curves play in physics?
Curves play a crucial role in physics, especially in motion dynamics and the study of forces, where they describe trajectories and forces.
Can an object have both edges and curves?
Yes, many objects, especially in design and architecture, incorporate both edges and curves for functional and aesthetic purposes.
Why are curves important in design?
Curves are important in design for their aesthetic appeal, ergonomic benefits, and their ability to guide movement and visual flow.
What mathematical studies focus on curves?
Mathematical studies focusing on curves include calculus, geometry, and differential equations, which explore their properties and applications.
How are edges and curves represented in computer graphics?
In computer graphics, edges are represented as vectors or lines between vertices, while curves are often modeled using bezier curves or splines for smooth transitions.
How can the sharpness of an edge affect its function?
The sharpness of an edge can significantly affect its function, such as cutting efficiency in tools or aerodynamic resistance in vehicles.
Can the perception of edges and curves influence product design?
Yes, the perception of edges and curves greatly influences product design, affecting usability, safety, and visual appeal.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
