kerb-stone

A child steps carefully from the kerb-stone onto the road.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A stone forming part of a kerb: "kerb-stone" refers to one of the individual stones or concrete blocks that make up the edge of a pavement or sidewalk, separating it from the road.
   • A boundary marker: It can also denote the physical or symbolic boundary between a pedestrian area and a vehicular roadway.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The child sat on the kerb-stone, waiting for the bus. (A stone at the edge of the pavement.)
  • The old kerb-stones were replaced with new concrete blocks. (Individual stones forming the kerb.)

Advanced Usage

• "kerb-stone broker": A slang term for an unlicensed stockbroker who operates outside official exchanges, often in informal or black markets.
  • He was known as a kerb-stone broker, trading stocks on the black market. (An unlicensed dealer working from the street.)

Variants and Related Words

• Kerb (n): The edge of a pavement or sidewalk, often made of stone or concrete.
  • The car hit the kerb and damaged its tyre. (The edge of the road.)
• Stone (n): A hard, solid non-metallic mineral material.
  • The wall was built from large stones. (A piece of rock.)

Synonyms

• Curbstone: The American English equivalent of "kerb-stone."
• Edge stone: A stone used to mark an edge or boundary.

Related Idioms

• "On the kerb": Referring to informal or street-level trading, especially in finance.
  • He bought shares on the kerb, outside the official market. (Informal, unregulated trading.)

Additional Meaning (Slang)

• "Kerb-stone market": A slang term for a black market or unofficial stock exchange.
  • The kerb-stone market operated in secret after hours. (An illegal trading venue.)