I. cure 1 /kjʊə $ kjʊr/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Word Family: adjective : cured, ↑ curable ≠ ↑ incurable , ↑ curative ; verb : ↑ cure ; noun : ↑ cure ]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: Latin cura 'care' ]
1 . a medicine or medical treatment that makes an illness go away
cure for
There is still no cure for AIDS.
2 . something that solves a problem, or improves a bad situation ⇨ solution
cure for
There is no easy cure for loneliness.
3 . the act of making someone well again after an illness:
The new treatment effected a miraculous cure.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ find/discover a cure
Scientists are still hoping to find a cure for the common cold.
▪ develop a cure
It will be at least ten years before a cure is developed.
▪ seek/search for/look for a cure
$3 billion a year is spent searching for a cure for cancer.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + cure
▪ an effective cure
A few decades ago there was no effective cure for the disease.
▪ a miracle cure (=a very effective one that cures a serious disease)
People always hope for a miracle cure.
■ phrases
▪ no known cure
At present is there is no known cure for this virus.
▪ the search for a cure
Billions of pounds have been spent on the search for a cure.
▪ prevention is better than cure British English , an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure American English (=used to say that it is better to prevent illness than to cure it)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ cure a medicine or medical treatment that makes an illness go away:
The scientists are trying to find a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease.
▪ remedy a way to treat a health problem, especially a small problem such as a cold, using plants or other natural methods:
Rinsing with salt water is a good home remedy for a sore throat.
|
The store sells herbal remedies.
▪ antidote a medicine that will stop the effects of a poison or dangerous drug:
There is no known antidote to a bite from this snake.
II. cure 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: adjective : cured, ↑ curable ≠ ↑ incurable , ↑ curative ; verb : ↑ cure ; noun : ↑ cure ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: curer , from Latin curare 'to take care of, cure' , from cura ; ⇨ ↑ cure 1 ]
1 . to make an illness or medical condition go away:
Many types of cancer can now be cured.
an operation that can cure short-sightedness in 15 minutes
2 . to make someone well again after they have been ill ⇨ heal :
She had some acupuncture treatment which seems to have cured her.
cure somebody of something
90% of patients can be cured of the disease.
3 . to solve a problem, or improve a bad situation:
Attempts to cure unemployment have so far failed.
4 . cure somebody of something to make someone stop behaving in a particular way or stop them having a particular feeling or attitude:
Nothing could cure her of her impatience with Anna.
5 . to preserve food, tobacco etc by drying it, hanging it in smoke, or covering it with salt:
cured ham
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ cure to make someone who has an illness completely well again or to stop a disease making someone ill - used especially about drugs or other treatments:
Many cancer victims can be cured if the disease is detected early enough.
▪ heal to cure someone - used especially when someone cures people using special religious powers, rather than using medicine. Also used when saying that a cream or treatment makes a wound better:
He claimed that he could heal the sick.
|
This cream is good for healing minor cuts and bruises.
▪ make somebody (feel) better to make someone who is ill well again, especially when they have an illness that is not very serious:
The pills did make me feel better.
▪ relieve/ease ( also alleviate formal ) to reduce someone’s pain or unpleasant feelings:
Aspirin will help to relieve the symptoms.
|
I can give you something to alleviate the pain.