Hypertext Webster Gateway: "curse"

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 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) 1.7 (wn)

curse
n 1: profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger;
"expletives were deleted" [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 or profanities; "The drunken men were
cursing loudly in the street" [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}]


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