curve ball, curve, curveball

Tesco Tries to Hit a U.S. Curveball

Tesco has been forced by the consumer-spending slump to slash prices, advertise aggressively and otherwise alter its U.S. expansion strategy.

Microsoft Throws Time Warner Curve
AOL will lose two potential partners if Microsoft buys Yahoo, a further complication for Time Warner's new CEO.

curve ball noun [C] US
When you throw a curve ball in the sport of baseball, the ball curves as it moves towards the player with the bat.


n.

1. Baseball. Any of several pitches that veer to the left when thrown with the right hand and to the right when thrown with the left hand.
2. Slang. Something that is unexpected or designed to trick or deceive: That last question on the exam was a real curve ball.

idiom:

pitch (or throw) (someone) a curve ball Slang.

1. To mislead; deceive.
2. To cause to be surprised, especially unpleasantly so.