Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
curse

more about curse

curse


  6  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Curse  \Curse\  (k?rs),  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Cursed}  (k?rst)  or 
  {Curst};  p.  pr  &  vb  n.  {Cursing}.]  [AS.  cursian  corsian, 
  perh.  of  Scand.  origin;  cf  Dan.  korse  to  make  the  sign  of 
  the  cross,  Sw  korsa,  fr  Dan.  &  Sw  kors  cross,  Icel  kross, 
  all  these  Scand.  words  coming  fr  OF  crois,  croiz,  fr  L. 
  crux  cross.  Cf  {Cross}.] 
  1.  To  call  upon  divine  or  supernatural  power  to  send  injury 
  upon  to  imprecate  evil  upon  to  execrate. 
 
  Thou  shalt  not  .  .  .  curse  the  ruler  of  thy  people. 
  --Ex.  xxii. 
  28. 
 
  Ere  sunset  I'll  make  thee  curse  the  deed.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  To  bring  great  evil  upon  to  be  the  cause  of  serious  harm 
  or  unhappiness  to  to  furnish  with  that  which  will  be  a 
  cause  of  deep  trouble;  to  afflict  or  injure  grievously;  to 
  harass  or  torment. 
 
  On  impious  realms  and  barbarous  kings  impose  Thy 
  plagues,  and  curse  'em  with  such  sons  as  those 
  --Pope. 
 
  {To  curse  by  bell,  book,  and  candle}.  See  under  {Bell}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Curse  \Curse\,  v.  i. 
  To  utter  imprecations  or  curses;  to  affirm  or  deny  with 
  imprecations;  to  swear. 
 
  Then  began  he  to  curse  and  to  swear.  --Matt.  xxi. 
  74. 
 
  His  spirits  hear  me  And  yet  I  need  must  curse.  --Shak. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Curse  \Curse\,  n.  [AS.  curs.  See  {Curse},  v.  t.] 
  1.  An  invocation  of  or  prayer  for  harm  or  injury; 
  malediction. 
 
  Lady,  you  know  no  rules  of  charity,  Which  renders 
  good  for  bad  blessings  for  curses.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Evil  pronounced  or  invoked  upon  another,  solemnly,  or  in 
  passion;  subjection  to  or  sentence  of  divine 
  condemnation. 
 
  The  priest  shall  write  these  curses  in  a  book. 
  --Num.  v.  23. 
 
  Curses,  like  chickens,  come  home  to  roost.  --Old 
  Proverb. 
 
  3.  The  cause  of  great  harm,  evil,  or  misfortune;  that  which 
  brings  evil  or  severe  affliction;  torment. 
 
  The  common  curse  of  mankind,  folly  and  ignorance. 
  --Shak. 
 
  All  that  I  eat,  or  drink,  or  shall  beget,  Is 
  propagated  curse.  --Milton. 
 
  {The  curse  of  Scotland}  (Card  Playing),  the  nine  of  diamonds. 
 
 
  {Not  worth  a  curse}.  See  under  {Cress}. 
 
  Syn:  Malediction;  imprecation;  execration.  See  {Malediction}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  curse 
  n  1:  profane  or  obscene  expression  usually  of  surprise  or  anger 
  [syn:  {curse  word},  {expletive},  {oath},  {swearing},  {swearword}, 
  {cuss}] 
  2:  an  appeal  to  some  supernatural  power  to  inflict  evil  on 
  someone  or  some  group  [syn:  {execration},  {condemnation}] 
  3:  an  evil  spell;  "a  witch  put  a  curse  on  his  whole  family" 
  [syn:  {hex},  {jinx}] 
  4:  something  causes  misery  or  death;  "the  bane  of  my  life" 
  [syn:  {bane},  {scourge},  {nemesis}] 
  5:  a  severe  affliction  [syn:  {torment}] 
  v  1:  utter  obscenities  [syn:  {cuss},  {blaspheme},  {swear},  {imprecate}] 
  2:  heap  obscenities  upon 
  3:  wish  harm  upon  put  a  curse  on  "The  bad  witch  cursed  the 
  child"  [syn:  {beshrew},  {damn},  {bedamn},  {anathemize},  {imprecate}, 
  {maledict}]  [ant:  {bless}] 
  4:  exclude  from  a  church  or  a  religious  communities  [syn:  {excommunicate}] 
  [ant:  {communicate}] 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Curse 
  denounced  by  God  against  the  serpent  (Gen.  3:14),  and  against 
  Cain  (4:11).  These  divine  maledictions  carried  their  effect  with 
  them  Prophetical  curses  were  sometimes  pronounced  by  holy  men 
  (Gen.  9:25;  49:7;  Deut.  27:15;  Josh.  6:26).  Such  curses  are  not 
  the  consequence  of  passion  or  revenge,  they  are  predictions. 
 
  No  one  on  pain  of  death  shall  curse  father  or  mother  (Ex. 
  21:17),  nor  the  prince  of  his  people  (22:28),  nor  the  deaf  (Lev. 
  19:14).  Cursing  God  or  blaspheming  was  punishable  by  death  (Lev. 
  24:10-16).  The  words  "curse  God  and  die"  (R.V.,  "renounce  God 
  and  die"),  used  by  Job's  wife  (Job  2:9),  have  been  variously 
  interpreted.  Perhaps  they  simply  mean  that  as  nothing  but  death 
  was  expected,  God  would  by  this  cursing  at  once  interpose  and 
  destroy  Job,  and  so  put  an  end  to  his  sufferings. 
 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  CURSE,  v.t.  Energetically  to  belabor  with  a  verbal  slap-stick.  This 
  is  an  operation  which  in  literature,  particularly  in  the  drama,  is 
  commonly  fatal  to  the  victim.  Nevertheless,  the  liability  to  a 
  cursing  is  a  risk  that  cuts  but  a  small  figure  in  fixing  the  rates  of 
  life  insurance. 
 
 




more about curse