curve ball

• Eine unerwartete, überraschende oder schwierige Situation oder Frage, mit der man schwer umgehen kann; der Begriff stammt aus dem Baseball, wo ein angeschnittener Ball eine unvorhersehbare Flugbahn nimmt.

An unexpected, surprising, or difficult situation or question that is challenging to deal with, originally derived from baseball where a curveball is a pitch that moves unpredictably.

1. Baseball pitchB2formalamerican

   A type of pitch in baseball that curves as it approaches the batter, making it difficult to hit.

   Curveball

   • The pitcher threw a curve ball that fooled the batter.
   • He practiced throwing curve balls for hours.
   • The curve ball is one of the most challenging pitches to master.

2. Unexpected challengeB2informalamerican

   An unexpected, surprising, or difficult situation or problem that requires quick adaptation.

   Unerwartete Schwierigkeit

   • The sudden budget cut was a real curve ball for the project.
   • Life threw him a curve ball when he lost his job.
   • The last-minute change in plans was a curve ball we didn't anticipate.