| Subject | English | Russian |
| gen. | curve ball | финт (в бейсболе) |
| gen. | curve ball | хитрость |
| gen. | curve ball | уловка |
| baseb. | curve ball | кервбол, кручёный мяч (вид подачи мяча в бейсболе Пан) |
| idiom. | throw a curve ball | подложить свинью (также a curveball; (mainly US and Australian English, informal) to surprise someone with something that is *difficult or unpleasant* to deal with (Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary) • Just when you think you have life figured out, it throws you a curveball. (Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary) ART Vancouver) |
| idiom. | throw a curve ball | подставить ножку (также a curveball; (mainly US and Australian English, informal) to surprise someone with something that is *difficult or unpleasant* to deal with (Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary) • Just when you think you have life figured out, it throws you a curveball. (Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary) ART Vancouver) |
| idiom. | throw a curve ball | выкинуть фортель (to surprise someone with something that is difficult or unpleasant to deal with: "Mother Nature threw us a curve ball last night with record-breaking amounts of rain, which resulted in massive flooding throughout the region." ART Vancouver) |
| gen. | throw somebody a curve-ball | подкинуть неприятный сюрприз (informal: Unexpectedly present someone with a challenge or disruption: ‘just when you think things are working out, life throws you a curveball' Bullfinch) |
| Makarov. | throw somebody a curve-ball | ошарашить |
| gen. | throw somebody a curve-ball | неприятно удивить (КГА) |
| gen. | throw somebody a curve-ball | ошарашить (to surprise someone with something that is difficult or unpleasant to deal with КГА) |