# curse

Pronunciation: say "KURS" US /kɝs/, UK /kɜːs/

## Noun

1. A misfortune or hindrance brought on by supernatural power; a bane.
   - Simple: Bad luck or harm that comes from magic or a higher power.
   - _Locals say a curse has hung over the house ever since its first owner vanished._
   - _Fans joked about the curse that had kept their team from winning a title for decades._
5. Something that causes great harm, evil, or misfortune; a source of severe trouble or torment.
   - Simple: Something that causes a lot of harm or trouble.
   - _Gambling became the curse of his later years, costing him his house and his marriage._
   - _Her fame proved as much a curse as a gift._
6. A prayer or spoken call for harm to come to someone.
   - Simple: Words that ask for something bad to happen to someone.
   - _She called down a curse on whoever had stolen her savings._
   - _The ancient tablet records a curse against anyone who disturbs the tomb._
7. A vulgar word or expression; a swear word.
   - Simple: A rude or dirty word, like one you should not say in class.
   - _She muttered a curse under her breath as the bus pulled away without her._
   - _The comedian's set was so full of curses that the network bleeped half of it._

## Verb

2. To use offensive or morally improper language; to swear.
   - Simple: To say bad words that may upset or offend people.
   - _When the engine died a third time, he began to curse and swear._
   - _Players who curse at the referee can be ejected from the game._
3. To bring supernatural harm or misfortune on a person or object, as by casting a spell.
   - Simple: To use magic to make bad things happen to a person or thing.
   - _Legend says the old priest cursed the ring, dooming everyone who wore it._
   - _Visitors are warned that the gods curse whoever takes a stone from the temple._
4. To call on divine or supernatural power to harm a person or thing; to wish evil on someone or something, or denounce them with loathing.
   - Simple: To ask God or a spirit to hurt someone, or to wish very bad things on them.
   - _He cursed the day he had agreed to the deal._
   - _Exiled from the city, the poet would curse its rulers in every letter he wrote._
8. To cause someone great harm or unhappiness, or to burden them with something that brings deep trouble; to afflict or torment.
   - Simple: To bring someone great pain or trouble, or give them a problem that keeps hurting them.
   - _Fate seemed to curse the family with one illness after another._
   - _The region has been cursed by drought for most of the decade._

## Noun

9. A woman's menstrual period, usually referred to as "the curse". *(dated)*
   - Simple: A woman's monthly period, usually called "the curse".

## Origin

**Meanings 1, 5–7, 9** — Old English cors or curs ("curse"), whose origin is unknown, became Middle English curse, kors, cors or curs.
**Meanings 2–4, 8** — The Old English verb corsian or cursian ("to curse") was made from the noun, and it became Middle English cursen, corsen or coursen.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/curse (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).