Parabolic means “in the shape of a parabola” — that same curve a thrown ball makes as it goes up and comes down a little way off.

Parabolic meansParabolic的意思是 "in the shape of a parabola"「拋物線的形狀」——that same curve a thrown ball makes就是丟出去的球畫出的那條曲線 as it goes up and comes down a little way off往上飛、再落下一段距離時。

A parabolic mirror or a parabolic dish is curved that way on purpose, because that shape gathers light or radio waves toward one point. We also talk about a parabolic path when we mean the track of a thrown or kicked object, if we ignore wind and spin.

A parabolic mirror or a parabolic dishA parabolic mirror（拋物面鏡）或a parabolic dish（拋物面天線） is curved that way on purpose就是故意做成這種弧度，because that shape gathers light or radio waves toward one point因為這個形狀能把光或無線電波聚集到一個點上。We also talk about a parabolic path我們也會用a parabolic path when we mean the track of a thrown or kicked object來講被丟出或踢出的物體所走的軌跡，if we ignore wind and spin如果不考慮風和旋轉。

In a maths class, parabolic growth means growing like that curve, not merely “huge.” Though actually, the same English word can mean “like a parable,” a story with a lesson; that is an older, bookish use.

In a maths class在數學課裡，parabolic growth meansparabolic growth指的是 growing like that curve像那條曲線一樣成長，not merely "huge."不只是單純的「很大」。Though actually不過其實，the same English word can mean "like a parable,"這個英文字也可以指「像寓言一樣」，a story with a lesson也就是帶有教訓的故事；that is an older, bookish use那是比較舊、比較書面的用法。

The science-and-shape use is the one this entry is for, and the one you will meet in class.

The science-and-shape use科學和形狀這個意思，is the one this entry is for才是這篇詞條要講的，and the one you will meet in class也是你在課堂上會遇到的那個。