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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.
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