Part 723

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.

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.

Curs"ed (k?rs"?d), a. Deserving a curse; execrable; hateful; detestable; abominable.

Let us fly this cursed place. Milton.

This cursed quarrel be no more renewed. Dryden.

Curs"ed*ly, adv. In a cursed manner; miserably; in a manner to be detested; enormously.

Curs"ed*ness, n. 1. The state of being under a curse or of being doomed to execration or to evil.

2. Wickedness; sin; cursing. Chaucer.

3. Shrewishness. "My wife's cursedness." Chaucer.

Curs"er (k?rs"?r), n. One who curses.

Cur"ship (k?r"sh?p), n. [Cur +-ship.] The state of being a cur; one who is currish. [Jocose]

How durst he, I say, oppose thy curship! Hudibras.

Cur"si*ta`ting (k?r"s?-t?`t?ng), a. [See Cursitor.] Moving about slightly. [R.] H. Bushnell.

Cur"si*tor (k?r"s?-t?r), n. [LL. cursitor, equiv. to L. cursor, fr. cursare to run hither and thither, fr. currere to run. See Current, and cf. Cursor.] 1. A courier or runner. [Obs.] "Cursitors to and fro." Holland.

2. (Eng.Law) An officer in the Court of Chancery, whose business is to make out original writs.

Cur"sive (k?r"s?v), a. [LL. cursivus: cf. F. cursif See Cursitor.] Running; flowing.

Cursive hand,a running handwriting.