curse
Say offensive or obscene words
To say bad or rude words when you are angry or upset.
to curse [someone/something]
- He cursed loudly when he dropped his phone.
- She cursed under her breath as she walked away.
- The driver cursed at the car that cut him off.
- He cursed when he lost the game.
- She cursed at the bad driver.
- I heard him curse in the shop.
Invoke supernatural harm on someone
To ask magic or a god to bring bad luck or harm to someone.
to curse [someone/something]
- The witch cursed the prince to live as a frog.
- They believed the old man had cursed their farm.
- She cursed the thief who stole her necklace.
- The witch cursed the king.
- He cursed the house with bad luck.
- They think she cursed the village.
Offensive word or phrase
A bad or rude word that people say when they are angry or upset.
- He shouted curses at the referee.
- She muttered a curse as she left the room.
- The air was filled with curses and angry shouts.
- He said a curse when he was angry.
- She spoke a curse quietly.
- They shouted curses at each other.
Magical spell causing harm
Magic words that bring bad luck or harm to someone.
- The ancient curse was said to haunt the tomb.
- Only true love could break the curse.
- The hero's quest was to lift the curse from the kingdom.
- The old curse hurt the town.
- He tried to break the curse.
- They feared the witch's curse.
Source of lasting trouble or harm
Something that brings a lot of problems for a long time.
- Illiteracy is the curse of many rural areas.
- For some athletes, fame can be a curse.
- The disease became a curse for the entire community.
- Poverty is a curse for many people.
- Fame can be a curse.
- The war was a curse for the country.
- Base: curse
- Plural: curses
- Base: curse
- 3rd Person Singular: curses
- Present Participle: cursing
- Past: cursed
a blessing and a curse
1Has good and bad effects together
Something that is good in some ways but bad in other ways.
- Fame is both a blessing and a curse for many celebrities.
- Technology can be a blessing and a curse for society.
break the curse
1End magical or lasting harm
To stop a magic spell or long-lasting problem from causing more harm.
- The hero set out to break the curse on the castle.
- Scientists hope to break the curse of this deadly disease.
curse like a sailor
1Use many bad words often and strongly
To say many rude words very often and strongly.
- He curses like a sailor when he's playing video games.
- Don't mind her—she curses like a sailor when she's stressed.
put a curse on [someone]
1Use magic to harm someone
To say magic words to make something bad happen to someone.
- The villagers believed the woman had put a curse on their crops.
- He claimed his rival had put a curse on him.
under a curse
1Affected by magic or lasting harm
Being controlled by magic or suffering from a long-lasting problem.
- The town seemed to be under a curse after years of disaster.
- She felt her family was under a curse.