curber meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

curber

noun

UK /ˈkəːbə/

Etymology From curb (verb) + -er.

Someone or something which curbs.

[T]hey required him as a safeguard against the demon and a curber of other people's crimes.1902, William James, “Lectures XIV and XV: The Value of Saintliness”, in The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature […] , New York, N.Y.; London: Longmans, Green, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 329:

noun

Etymology From curb (noun) + -er.

Historical, Slang A type of thief who used a ‘curb’ or hooked pole to steal things through open windows.

Night was the natural time for the curber’s activities and striking up an acquaintance with a serving maid was an invaluable way of getting a window left open or learning the exact layout of the rooms in the house.1977, Gãmini Salgãdo, The Elizabethan Underworld, Folio Society, published 2006, page 33:

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