curse

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See also: cursé

English[edit]

English Wikipedia has articles on:
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Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle English curse, kors, cors, curs, from Old English cors, curs (“curse”), of unknown origin.

Noun[edit]

curse (plural curses)

  1. A supernatural detriment or hindrance; a bane.
  2. A prayer or imprecation that harm may befall someone.
  3. The cause of great harm, evil, or misfortune; that which brings evil or severe affliction; torment.
    • 1602, William Shakespeare, Toilus and Cressida, Act II, sc. 3:
      The common curse of mankind, folly and ignorance ...
  4. A vulgar epithet.
    • 2013 June 14, Sam Leith, “Where the profound meets the profane”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 37:
      Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths. Consider for a moment the origins of almost any word we have for bad language – "profanity", "curses", "oaths" and "swearing" itself.
  5. (slang, dated, derogatory, usually with "the") A woman's menses.
Derived terms[edit]
Descendants[edit]
  • Sranan Tongo: kosi
Translations[edit]
  • This translation table is meant for translations approximating the derogatory or strongly negative nature of this term in English. For standard translations, see the translation table at menstruation.

Etymology 2[edit]

From Middle English cursen, corsen, coursen, from Old English corsian, cursian (“to curse”), from the noun (see above).

Verb[edit]

curse (third-person singular simple present curses, present participle cursing, simple past and past participle cursed or (archaic) curst)

  1. (transitive) To place a curse upon (a person or object).
    • 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, OCLC 639762314, page 0105:
      Captain Edward Carlisle […] felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, […] ; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such a duty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier to meet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard.
  2. To call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon; to imprecate evil upon; to execrate.
  3. (transitive) To speak or shout a vulgar curse or epithet.
  4. (intransitive) To use offensive or morally inappropriate language.
    Synonym: swear
  5. 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.
    • 1703, Alexander Pope, Thebais
      On impious realms and barbarous kings impose / Thy plagues, and curse 'em with such sons as those.
Antonyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Descendants[edit]
Translations[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Latin[edit]

Participle[edit]

curse

  1. vocative masculine singular of cursus

Portuguese[edit]

Verb[edit]

curse

  1. first-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of cursar
  2. third-person singular (ele and ela, also used with você and others) present subjunctive of cursar
  3. third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of cursar
  4. third-person singular (você) negative imperative of cursar

Romanian[edit]

Noun[edit]

curse f pl

  1. plural of cursă

Spanish[edit]

Verb[edit]

curse

  1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of cursar.
  2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of cursar.
  3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of cursar.
  4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of cursar.
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