n (1)诅咒，咒语(word or words used to ask God，heaven，or other supernatural forces to bring down evil or harm upon sb or sth)[C，a～][N(on)]：put/call down/pronounce a～on one's enemies诅咒敌人;be under a～遭到报应;lift a～收回诅咒;an old woman's/witch's～老妇/老巫婆的咒语;There is a～on this family.这家人家受人诅咒。〖反〗blessing;

(2)咒骂(的话)(word or words expressing violent anger，hatred，etc)[C]：His～made her blush.他的咒骂令她面红耳赤。do sth with a～咒骂着做某事;angrily muttered～s 生气的咒骂;shout～s at sb 朝某人大声咒骂;〖同〗swearing，oath;〖反〗blessing;

(3)祸根(因，水)(person or thing that causes great misfortune，evil，harm，etc)[C]：Loneliness in old age is the～of modern society.老年孤独是现代社会中的不幸。Gambling(His wealth) was/proved a～to him.赌博(财富)是/结果是他的祸根。She's the～of his life.她是他一生的祸根。Housework was the～of her life.家务劳动是她生活的灾难。Mankind's greatest～is poverty.人类最大的祸根是贫穷。the～ of inflation自满这个祸根;〖同〗misfortune，trouble，evil;

(4)月经((period of) menstruation)[C，the～](sl)：have (got) the～来月经了;

v (1)诅咒(call down God's anger，evil，misfortune，etc upon sb)[I，I+prep(at)，T+n]： He is～ing and stamping about like a wild man.他像疯了似的又诅咒又跺脚。～(at)one's own stupidity/one's bad luck诅咒自己笨/倒霉的运气;～(at)a stupid servant/everyone in sight诅咒愚蠢的仆人/每一个见到的人;～sb for his idolatry/spoiling one's plans诅咒某人盲目崇拜/毁了自己的计划;The old woman～d him saying that he would never have children.老太婆诅咒他永不得子。The witch～d him with strange and frightening words.巫师用奇怪而令人生畏的语言诅咒他。～and swear连声诅咒;～like a trooper恶毒诅咒;〖同〗swear;〖反〗praise;

(2)咒骂(use violent language;swear)[T+n]：～one's enemies/one's ungrateful daughter/the unwilling horse/the day one was born咒骂敌人/忘恩负义的女儿/不情愿走的马/自己出生的日子;〖反〗bless;

be cursed with 遭受……痛苦(折磨)：be～d with blindness/poor health/bad luck/a violent temper/idle sons遭受失明/病弱/坏运/脾气暴烈/有懒惰儿子之苦;

→′cursed adj 可恶的;讨厌的;′cursedly adv 可恶(讨厌)地;

【辨异】curse与swear都可表示“诅咒”之意，可换用。curse为通常用语，指生气祈求上天降灾祸于人，如：curse one's enemies(咒骂敌人);swear(诅咒，起誓)则是用上天或某圣人或圣物的名字来表示感叹，以加重语气或表示气愤，如：swear in every sentence(每句话中都夹杂着诅咒)。