The phrase “throwing a curveball” refers to a surprise or unexpected event that goes against expectations. The term comes from baseball, where pitchers use the curveball to deceive hitters. The use of the phrase can imply a deliberate attempt to mislead, but it can also be a positive surprise.
When people talk about someone throwing a curveball at them, they are usually talking about some type of deliberate attempt to surprise. A single person or group may throw a figurative curveball, and the idiom may also sometimes be used in other contexts to describe completely random events, although these uses are often tinged with irony. The very nature of the term suggests that the individual using it had some sort of particular expectation about upcoming events, and usually a plan as well, which was likely dashed when events unfolded unexpectedly.
The use of this idiom comes from baseball and the strategy used by some pitchers. In many cases, pitchers rely on the speed and swing of their pitches to deceive hitters, and the entire game between hitter and pitcher is generally a matter of expectation. The hitter will often try to guess what the pitcher is going to throw next, which can give him an advantage in hitting due to timing and expectations of how the ball will move. Usually, the pitcher tries to do everything possible to make the hitter guess the next pitch, keeping his motion identical from each pitch and changing his pitching patterns. Thus a curveball would ideally tend to be pitched at a time when the hitter is expecting a fastball, and the pitch would generally disrupt the hitter’s timing while simultaneously causing him to miss with his unexpected swing.
Just like in baseball, when people talk about a real-life curveball, they are usually referring to a situation where they guessed wrong about upcoming events and were deceived by an intelligent opponent. For example, if one company evaluates its products based on competitors’ current prices, only to discover that the other company has a new, less expensive product in development, this could be seen as a strategic curveball. first company. In most cases, the use of the term suggests an element of being caught unprepared or preparing for the wrong kind of event.
Another aspect of the idiom is that there is usually the suggestion of a deliberate attempt to mislead. If people feel they have been thrown into a curveball, there is often a sense that someone else has been trying to talk them into making a bad move. This can also often suggest a negative connotation or imply a lack of ethical behavior. There are other instances, however, where a curveball might even be a good thing. For example, if someone braced for bad news and received good news instead, it might as well be a curve ball.
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