cursed, curst, ppl. a.
(ˈkɜːsɪd, kɜːst)
Also 4 cursd, curced, -id, cursud, 4–5 cursede, -id, corsed, -id, 4–6 curste, 5 curset, -it, -yd, 5–6 curssed.
[f. curse v. + -ed1.]
1. That has had a curse pronounced or invoked upon him or it; excommunicated, anathematized; under a curse, blasted with a curse.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 29332 (Cott.) Qua communs wit cursd man, þat was noght ar, es cursd þan. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xxii. 419 The countrey is þe corsedour þer cardinales comeþ ynne. 1483 Cath. Angl. 87 Cursed, anathematizatus. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, iv. i. 147 The wofullest Diuision..That euer fell vpon this cursed Earth. 1611 Bible Matt. xxv. 41 Depart from me, ye cursed. 1723 Gay Captives ii. (1772) 41 Shun'd like a pestilence, a curst informer! 1800 Wordsw. Hart-Leap Well ii. vii, But something ails it now; the spot is curst. 1862 Ruskin Munera P. (1880) 92 The cursed fig-tree, which has leaves but no fruit. |
2. Deserving a curse; damnable, execrable, heinously wicked.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 1106 (Gött.) To haue done suilk a curced dede. 1388 Wyclif Ecclus. x. 9 No thing is cursidere than an auerouse man. c 1400 Melayne 310 Appon the cursede Sarazens for to werre. a 1592 H. Smith Wks. (1867) II. 34 Who would have said..that the chosen people should become the cursedest upon the earth? 1609 Holland Amm. Marcell. xvii. i. 79 Carefull withall, least the cursed foules of the aire [diræ volucres] should devoure the bodies. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 388 And with cursed things His holy Rites and solemn Feasts profan'd. 1715 De Foe Fam. Instruct. i. v. (1841) I. 99 The cursed roots from whence this bitter fruit grows up. 1765 H. Walpole Otranto iv, ‘Dare to proceed in thy curst purpose of a divorce..and here I lance her anathema at thy head.’ |
3. Used intensively in expression of hatred, dislike, vexation, etc.: Execrable, detestable, abominable, ‘damned’, ‘confounded’.
| c 1386 Chaucer Sompn. Prol. 43 God save yow alle, save this cursed Frere. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 39 It was his hard lucke and curssed chaunce. 1664 Evelyn Kal. Hort. (1729) 209 Earwigs..are cursed Devourers. 1738 Swift Pol. Conversat. 22, I have cut my Thumb with this cursed Knife. 1819 Byron Juan ii. clii, One's early valet's cursed knock. 1876 E. Jenkins Blot on Queen's Head 24 ‘What a cursed piece of buffoonery!’ |
b. Used adverbially; sometimes merely emphatic. (Cf. damned, deuced.)
| 1719 J. Richardson Sc. Connoisseur 116 Our Grandsires they were Papists, Our Fathers Oliverians, Their Bearns 'tis said are Atheists, Ours must be Cursed Queer Ones. 1778 Wolcott (P. Pindar) Ep. Reviewers Wks. 1812 I. 7 What they disapprove is cursed simple. 1845 Ford Handbk. Spain i. 30 They prefer cursed bad wine to holy water. |
4. (Usually spelt curst.) a. Of persons (or their dispositions, tongues, etc.): Malignant; perversely disagreeable or cross; cantankerous, shrewish, virulent. Obs. or arch. (also dial.)
| c 1400 Mandeville (1839) viii. 89 This Heroude was over moche cursed & cruelle. 1550 Coverdale Spir. Perle xv, His [Socrates'] curst and shrewd wife. 1578 Chr. Prayers in Priv. Prayers (1851) 498 When thou didst deal mildly and gently with me, I became the curster. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. iii. ii. 156 Curster than she, why 'tis impossible. 1609 Rowlands Knaue of Clubbes 44 One plague That vext him..was his wiues curst tongue. 1642 Laud Wks. (1853) III. 461 They were glad that I gave him so short and so cursed an answer. 1711 Shaftesbury Charac. (1737) II. ii. i. §2. 84 Any Nature thorowly savage, curst, and inveterate. 1836 J. Downe Mountain Decam. I. 218, I have told that lie..why are ye so curst now as to want me to tell it o'er again? 1879–81 G. F. Jackson Shropsh. Word-bk. s.v., ‘'E's a little curst chap.’ |
† b. Of men or beasts: Fierce, savage, vicious.
| c 1400 Song Roland 486 Corsabran, the curssid, kenyst in halle. 1567 J. Maplet Gr. Forest 82 To straungers he [the dog] is eger and curst. 1576 Turberv. Venerie 184 Terryers.. are muche curster. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado ii. i. 25 It is said, God sends a curst Cow short hornes. 1623 Bingham Xenophon 101 Dogges, that are curst, men vse to tie vp in the day, and let loose in the night. 1644 Bulwer Chirol. 130 Bridling is like unto curst and fierce bulls. 1727 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Bandog, [It] should be chosen..not too curst nor too gentle of disposition. |
† c. fig. Of hair: Rough, bristly. Of a sore: Malignant, irritable. Obs.
| 1565–73 Cooper Thesaurus, Cæsaries horrida, a cursed head. 1579 Gosson Sch. Abuse (Arb.) 21 As curst sores with often touching waxe angry. |
d. Comb., as curst-heartedness, malignity of disposition, wickedness of heart.
| 1571 Golding Calvin on Ps. li. 19 Although they fome not out their cursthartednesse openly. 1633 T. Adams Exp. 2 Peter ii. 10 A tumour of curst-heartedness. |