Meaning

A supernatural detriment or hindrance; a bane..

Definitions by Sense

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.
4. A vulgar epithet.
5. (slang, dated, derogatory, usually with "the") A woman's menses.
6. (transitive) To place a curse upon (a person or object).
7. To call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon; to imprecate evil upon; to execrate.
8. (transitive) To speak or shout a vulgar curse or epithet.

Example Sentences

If ye will not heare, and if yee will not lay it to heart, to giue glory vnto my name, saith the Lord of hostes; I will euen send a curse vpon you, and will curse your blessings: yea, I haue cursed them already, because yee doe not lay it to heart.

Oh Portius, is there not some choſen Curſe, Some hidden Thunder in the Stores of Heav’n, Red with uncommon Wrath, to blaſt the Man Who owes his Greatneſs to his Country’s Ruin?

“The farm's had a lot of bad luck, you see. Dad thinks there is a curse on the place.” “Most like. Most like,” said Catweazle, gobbling the banana.

The common curſe of mankinde, Folly and Ignorance[…]

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.

And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

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.

Thou ſhalt not[…]curſe the ruler of thy people.

Word Forms

• curses
• cursing
• cursed
• curst

Synonyms for curse

Antonyms for curse

Related Words

When Should You Use Curse?

Use curse when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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