curse
curse — noun
1. a set of spoken words believed to cause harm or misfortune to another person.
a set of spoken words believed to cause harm or misfortune to another person.
The old folk tale tells of a curse that turned a prince into a frog.
Some villagers believed a curse had caused their crops to fail that season.
put a curse on something
In the story, the witch placed a curse on anyone who entered her forest.
The museum displayed a cursed amulet that was said to bring bad luck.
- blessing
a prayer for good fortune, the opposite of a curse
常見錯誤
2. something that brings long-term difficulty, suffering, or misfortune into a pers
something that brings long-term difficulty, suffering, or misfortune into a person's life, often over many years or across generations.
Poverty has been a curse for many families in the region for generations.
Darius called his gambling habit a curse that had cost him everything he loved.
call something a curse
The new factory became a curse when it began poisoning the local water supply.
For Nala, her crippling shyness felt like a curse that stopped her from making friends.
- affliction
more formal and suggests physical or mental suffering; less common in everyday speech
- scourge
stronger and more dramatic — suggests widespread destruction, not individual trouble
- blight
often used for problems affecting a community or area, such as disease or poverty
用法筆記
Often used metaphorically — the subject does not literally involve magic, but the suffering feels as severe as if it did. Frequently found in the pattern 'a curse of [problem]' (e.g. 'the curse of addiction').
3. an old-fashioned informal term for the monthly flow of blood from the uterus tha
an old-fashioned informal term for the monthly flow of blood from the uterus that people with a womb experience.
In older generations, some women referred to their monthly period as 'the curse'.
referred to as 'the curse'
Historical letters show women writing about 'the curse' as a regular part of life.
Takeshi's great-aunt still used the old term 'curse' to talk about menstruation.
The novel describes a time when menstruation was privately called 'the curse'.
- period
the standard, neutral modern term
- menstruation
the formal medical term
用法筆記
This sense is dated and may be considered offensive or inappropriate in modern conversation. Younger speakers rarely use 'curse' for menstruation — the standard term today is 'period'.
常見錯誤
4. a socially unacceptable word that someone says in moments of anger, surprise, or
a socially unacceptable word that someone says in moments of anger, surprise, or sudden pain.
Andrés let out a curse when he hit his thumb with the hammer.
let out a curse
The movie was full of curses that parents found unsuitable for young children.
Apinya muttered a curse under her breath after dropping her phone.
A stream of curses came from the kitchen when Jude burned his hand.
- swear word
more informal and direct; 'curse' sounds slightly more old-fashioned
- oath
formal or literary; often used in historical contexts ('He let out a mighty oath.')
- profanity
formal and covers all offensive religious or vulgar language
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with verb sense 1 (to swear). When used as a noun, a 'curse' is a single offensive word or short phrase; when cursed, a person produces a stream of them.
常見錯誤
curse — verb
1. to say offensive words because you feel angry, frustrated, or are in sudden pain
to say offensive words because you feel angry, frustrated, or are in sudden pain; to swear.
After stubbing his toe on the doorframe, Élise's father cursed loudly.
curse loudly
The taxi driver cursed at the cyclist who had cut in front of him.
curse at [someone]
Anna cursed under her breath when she realized she had left her keys inside the car.
Sari's grandmother never cursed, no matter how upset or frustrated she felt.
文法句型
curse (at someone/something)
用法筆記
In this intransitive sense, 'curse' can be directed at no one in particular (just frustration) or at someone/something using 'curse at'. For directed anger using offensive language, see also 'curse somebody out' (phrasal verb).
常見錯誤
2. to express extreme anger toward someone, including yourself, by saying harsh or
to express extreme anger toward someone, including yourself, by saying harsh or insulting things about them, often because of a mistake or failure.
Zayd cursed himself for leaving his passport at home on the morning of the trip.
curse oneself for [something]
Passengers cursed the airline for canceling their flight without any warning.
Padma cursed the slow internet connection as she tried to submit her assignment before the deadline.
The hikers cursed themselves for not bringing enough water on such a hot day.
- praise
to express warm approval of someone's actions
文法句型
curse + someone
curse + oneself
curse + someone + for + something
用法筆記
Distinguish from verb sense 1: sense 1 is about uttering swear words (intransitive), while sense 2 is about directing anger at a specific person, thing, or yourself (transitive). The object is the target of blame, not necessarily receiving swear words.
常見錯誤
3. to feel angry and express regret about a situation that has gone badly, often bl
to feel angry and express regret about a situation that has gone badly, often blaming bad luck or fate rather than a specific person.
Tamar cursed her luck when it started raining just after she hung the laundry outside.
curse one's luck
The fishermen cursed their timing after arriving at the dock and finding the boat already full.
Andrés cursed the day he agreed to help his cousin move apartments without a truck.
Nala cursed her bad judgment for investing in a company that went bankrupt within a month.
文法句型
curse + something
curse + the day / one's luck / one's stars
用法筆記
This sense appears in a fixed set of objects: 'luck', 'fate', 'stars', 'the day', and occasionally 'the moment'. It expresses retrospective regret — the speaker wishes events had turned out differently but cannot change them.
4. to use special words or rituals that are believed to make bad things happen to a
to use special words or rituals that are believed to make bad things happen to a particular person or group.
In the legend, the sorcerer cursed the entire village for not offering him shelter.
curse [a group] for [reason]
The old witch cursed the princess to sleep for a hundred years.
curse [someone] to [verb phrase]
Ancient inscriptions warned that the tomb was cursed and would destroy anyone who opened it.
According to local stories, a ghost cursed anyone who dared to enter the abandoned temple at night.
- hex
more specific to folk magic, especially in European and American traditions
- place a curse on
a phrasal alternative that is less direct
- doom
stronger and permanent — to doom someone is to fix their terrible fate
- bless
to ask for divine favour and protection
文法句型
curse + someone
curse + someone + with + something
be cursed
用法筆記
Often used in the passive form ('be cursed') to describe people or places that are believed to be under a spell. The passive can also be used metaphorically to mean 'afflicted with a persistent problem' (e.g. 'Our team has been cursed with bad luck all season.').