I. curse 1 /kɜːs $ kɜːrs/ BrE AmE verb
1 . [intransitive] to swear:
Gilbert was cursing under his breath.
2 . [transitive] to say or think bad things about someone or something because they have made you angry:
He cursed his bad luck in arriving just after she’d left.
curse somebody/something for (doing) something
Elsa cursed herself for believing his lies.
3 . [transitive] to ask God or a magical power to harm someone
curse somebody ↔ out phrasal verb American English informal
to swear at someone who has made you angry
II. curse 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: curs ]
1 . a swear word or words that you say because you are very angry:
He muttered a curse under his breath.
2 . a word or sentence used to ask God or a magical power to do something bad to someone or something:
He believed that someone had put a curse on the house.
3 . something that causes trouble, harm etc
curse of
Noise is one of the curses of modern-day life.
4 . the curse old-fashioned a ↑ menstrual period
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ magic noun [uncountable] the power to make impossible things happen, by saying special words or doing special actions:
In the story, she uses magic to turn him into a frog.
|
Local people believe that he can heal wounds and illnesses using magic.
▪ witchcraft noun [uncountable] the use of magic, usually to do bad things:
Hundreds of women were accused of witchcraft in the 1600s.
▪ spell noun [countable] a special set of words or actions that are used to make something happen by magic:
a magic spell
|
An evil witch cast a spell on him (=said a special set of words or did a special series of actions, in order to make something happen to someone by magic) , turning him into a beast.
▪ curse ( also hex American English ) noun [countable] something that makes someone or something have bad luck:
The house seemed to have a curse on it.
|
People believed the pharaoh would put a curse on (=use magic to make them have bad luck) anyone who broke into the tomb.
|
She believed her former husband had put a hex on her.
▪ the occult mysterious powers and events that involve magic and spirits:
He was very interested in the occult.
▪ voodoo noun [uncountable] magical beliefs and practices used as a form of religion:
a voodoo curse
|
In Haiti, the people still practice voodoo.