From Middle English curse, kors, cors, curs, from Old English cors, curs (“curse”), of unknown origin.
curse (plural curses)
- A supernatural detriment or hindrance; a bane.
- Synonyms: ban, hex, jinx, malediction
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Malachi 2:2:If ye will not heare, and if yee will not lay it to heart, to giue glory vnto my name, saith the Lord of hostes; I will euen send a curse vpon you, and will curse your blessings: yea, I haue cursed them already, because yee doe not lay it to heart.
- A prayer or imprecation that harm may befall someone.
- Synonyms: anathema, malediction
- The cause of great harm, evil, or misfortune; that which brings evil or severe affliction; torment.
- Synonyms: affliction, plague
- A vulgar epithet.
- Synonyms: cussword, expletive; see also Thesaurus:swear word
2013 June 14, Sam Leith, “Where the profound meets the profane”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 37:Swearing doesn't just mean what we now understand by "dirty words". It is entwined, in social and linguistic history, with the other sort of swearing: vows and oaths. Consider for a moment the origins of almost any word we have for bad language – "profanity", "curses", "oaths" and "swearing" itself.
- (slang, dated, derogatory, usually with "the") A woman's menses.
- Synonyms: courses, period; see also Thesaurus:menstruation
supernatural detriment
- Albanian: nëmë (sq) f
- Arabic: لَعْنَة (ar) f (laʕna)
- Armenian: անեծք (hy) (aneckʻ)
- Awadhi: साप (sāp)
- Azerbaijani: lənət (az)
- Belarusian: пракля́цце n (prakljáccje)
- Bengali: অভিশাপ (bn) (obhiśap)
- Breton: mallozh (br)
- Bulgarian: прокля́тие (bg) n (prokljátie)
- Catalan: maledicció (ca)
- Chinese:
- Cantonese: 詛咒/诅咒 (zo3 zau3)
- Mandarin: 詛咒/诅咒 (zh) (zǔzhòu)
- Cornish: molleth f
- Czech: kletba (cs) f, prokletí n
- Danish: forbandelse c
- Dutch: vloek (nl) m, verwensing (nl)
- Esperanto: malbeno (eo)
- Finnish: kirous (fi)
- French: mauvais sort, malédiction (fr) f
- Galician: maldizón f, xura f, estocación f, malafada f, perdamá f
- Georgian: წყევლა (c̣q̇evla)
- German: Fluch (de) m, Verwünschung (de) f, Verdammnis (de) f
- Greek: κατάρα (el) f (katára)
- Ancient: ἀρά f (ará), κατάρα f (katára)
- Hebrew: קְלָלָה (he) f (k'lalá)
- Hindi: शाप (hi) m (śāp), अभिशाप (hi) m (abhiśāp)
- Hungarian: átok (hu)
- Icelandic: bölvun (is) f
- Interlingua: malediction
- Irish: mallacht (ga) f
- Italian: maledizione (it) f, maleficio (it) m
- Japanese: 呪い (ja) (のろい, noroi), 呪縛 (ja) (jubaku)
- Javanese: sepata (jv)
- Kazakh: қарғыс (qarğys)
- Korean: 저주(詛呪) (ko) (jeoju)
- Kurdish:
- Central Kurdish: جوێن (cwên)
- Northern Kurdish: lanet (ku) f, nalet (ku) f
- Kyrgyz: аалат (ky) (aalat), каргыш (kargış)
- Latin: exsecratio f, imprecātiō f
- Latvian: lāsts (lv) m
- Lithuanian: prakeikimas, prakeiksmas m
- Macedonian: про́клетство n (prókletstvo), кле́тва f (klétva)
- Malagasy: ozona (mg), loza (mg)
- Malay: sumpahan, kutuk (ms), laknat (ms)
- Malayalam: ശാപം (ml) (śāpaṁ)
- Maltese: saħta
- Manx: mollaght f
- Marathi: शाप (mr) m (śāp)
- Middle English: malisoun
- Mongolian:
- Cyrillic: хараал (mn) (xaraal)
- Mongolian: ᠬᠠᠷᠢᠶᠠᠯ (qariyal)
- Nahuatl: uexcaitoa
- Nogai: наьлет (nälet)
- North Frisian: Flök c (Sylt)
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: forbannelse m
- Old English: wierġnes f
- Persian: لَعْنَت (fa) (la'nat), نِفْرین (fa) (nefrin)
- Plautdietsch: Fluch m
- Polish: klątwa (pl) f, przekleństwo (pl) n
- Portuguese: maldição (pt) f
- Romanian: blestem (ro) n, maledicție (ro) f
- Russian: прокля́тие (ru) n (prokljátije)
- Sanskrit: शाप (sa) m (śāpa)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: кле̑тва f, прокле́тство n
- Roman: klȇtva (sh) f, proklétstvo (sh) n
- Sicilian: malanova (scn) f
- Slovak: prekliatie n, kliatba f
- Slovene: kletev f, prekletstvo (sl) m
- Southern Altai: каргыш (kargïš)
- Spanish: maldición (es) f
- Sumerian: 𒂊𒍣𒊒 (ezeru)
- Swahili: laana (sw)
- Swedish: förbannelse (sv) c
- Tagalog: sumpa
- Tajik: лаънат (tg) (laʾnat), нафрин (nafrin)
- Tamil: சாபம் (ta) (cāpam)
- Tarifit: amutten m
- Tatar: ләгънәт (tt) (läğnät)
- Telugu: శాపం (te) (śāpaṁ)
- Thai: สาป (th) (sàap), คำสาป
- Tocharian B: śāp
- Turkish: lanet (tr), bela (tr)
- Ukrainian: прокля́ття (uk) n (prokljáttja)
- Urdu: لَعْنَت f (la'nat)
- Uyghur: لەنەت (lenet)
- Uzbek: laʻnat
- Volapük: mifätot
- Welsh: melltith (cy) f
- Yiddish: קללה f (klole)
- Yoruba: aburu
- Zazaki: bela m
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prayer that harm may befall someone
- Arabic: لَعْنَة (ar) f (laʕna)
- Awadhi: साप (sāp)
- Azerbaijani: qarğış (az), bəddua
- Belarusian: пракля́цце n (prakljáccje)
- Bulgarian: кле́тва (bg) f (klétva)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 詛咒/诅咒 (zh) (zǔzhòu)
- Dutch: vloek (nl) m
- Esperanto: malbeno (eo)
- Finnish: kirous (fi)
- French: malédiction (fr), mauvais sort
- German: Fluch (de) m
- Greek: κατάρα (el) f (katára)
- Ancient: ἀρά f (ará), κατάρα f (katára)
- Hindi: शाप (hi) m (śāp), अभिशाप (hi) m (abhiśāp), बददुआ (hi) f (badduā), लानत (hi) f (lānat), फटकार (hi) m (phaṭkār)
- Interlingua: malediction
- Irish: oirbhire f
- Kabuverdianu: odjada
- Latin: exsecratio f
- Macedonian: кле́тва f (klétva)
- Malayalam: ശാപം (ml) (śāpaṁ), പ്രാക്ക് (prākkŭ)
- Marathi: शाप (mr) m (śāp)
- Middle English: malisoun
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: forbannelse m, ed (no) m
- Old English: wierġnes f
- Persian: لَعْنَت (fa) (la'nat), نِفْرین (fa) (nefrin)
- Plautdietsch: Fluch m
- Polish: klątwa (pl) f, przekleństwo (pl) n
- Portuguese: maldição (pt) f
- Russian: прокля́тие (ru) n (prokljátije), ана́фема (ru) f (anáfema)
- Southern Altai: каргыш (kargïš)
- Spanish: maldición (es) f
- Tajik: лаънат (tg) (laʾnat), нафрин (nafrin)
- Tocharian B: śāp
- Turkish: beddua (tr), ilenme (tr), ah (tr), ilenç (tr), kargış (tr)
- Ukrainian: прокля́ття (uk) n (prokljáttja)
- Urdu: بَد دُعا (bad du'ā), لَعْنَت f (la'nat)
- Uzbek: laʼnat (uz)
- Welsh: melltith (cy) f
- Zazaki: zewt f
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cause of great harm, evil, or misfortune
vulgar epithet
- Abkhaz: ацәҳара (acʷḥara)
- Adyghe: please add this translation if you can
- Afrikaans: please add this translation if you can
- Aghwan: please add this translation if you can
- Aklanon: please add this translation if you can
- Albanian: please add this translation if you can
- Arabic: please add this translation if you can
- Armenian: հայհոյանք (hy) (hayhoyankʻ)
- Assamese: please add this translation if you can
- Azerbaijani: söyüş (az)
- Bashkir: please add this translation if you can
- Basque: arnegu
- Bau Bidayuh: please add this translation if you can
- Belarusian: ла́янка f (lájanka), мацю́к m (macjúk) (usually plural)
- Bulgarian: псувня́ (bg) f (psuvnjá), ругатня́ (bg) f (rugatnjá)
- Catalan: paraulota f
- Chinese:
- Mandarin:髒話/脏话 (zh) (zānghuà), 惡語/恶语 (zh) (èyǔ)
- Czech: nadávka (cs) f, rouhání n
- Danish: bandeord n
- Esperanto: sakraĵo, sakro
- Finnish: kirous (fi)
- French: juron (fr) m
- German: Fluch (de) m
- Greek: κατάρα (el) f (katára)
- Hebrew: קְלָלָה (he) f (k'lalá)
- Hindi: गाली (hi) f (gālī)
- Hungarian: káromkodás (hu)
- Irish: eascaine (ga) f, mionn mór m
- Italian: imprecazione (it) f
- Japanese: 悪口 (ja) (わるくち, warukuchi), 卑語 (ja) (ひご, higo)
- Korean: 악담(惡談) (ko) (akdam), 저주(詛呪) (ko) (jeoju), 비어(卑語) (ko) (bieo), 욕설(辱說) (ko) (yokseol)
- Kurdish:
- Northern Kurdish: lanet (ku) f, nalet (ku) f
- Kyrgyz: аалат (ky) n (aalat)
- Latin: maledictio f
- Macedonian: пцо́вка f (pcóvka), пцост m (pcost)
- Marathi: शिवी f (śivī)
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: ed (no) m, banneord (no) n
- Nynorsk: eid m, bannord n
- Persian: فُحْش (fa) (fohš), دُشْنام (fa) (došnâm)
- Polish: przekleństwo (pl) n, wulgaryzm (pl) m
- Portuguese: praga (pt) f, palavra de baixo calão f, vulgaridade (pt) f, obscenidade (pt) f
- Romanian: înjurătură (ro) f, cuvânt urât n
- Russian: прокля́тие (ru) n (prokljátije), руга́тельство (ru) n (rugátelʹstvo), ру́гань (ru) f (rúganʹ), брань (ru) f (branʹ), матерщи́на (ru) f (materščína), мат (ru) m (mat), руготня́ (ru) f (rugotnjá) (colloquial), матю́к (ru) m (matjúk) (low colloquial, usually plural), матю́г (ru) m (matjúg) (low colloquial, usually plural)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: псо̑вка f
- Roman: psȏvka (sh) f
- Slovak: nadávka f
- Spanish: mala palabra (es) f, maldición (es) f
- Swedish: svordom (sv) c
- Tajik: дашном (dašnom), фӯҳш (fühš), ҳақорат (haqorat)
- Telugu: తిట్టు (te) (tiṭṭu)
- Thai: คนหยาบคาย
- Turkish: küfür (tr), sövgü (tr)
- Ukrainian: ла́йка f (lájka), матю́к (uk) m (matjúk) (usually plural)
- Uzbek: soʻkish (uz), haqorat (uz)
- Welsh: rheg f
- Zazaki: neng n
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- This translation table is meant for translations approximating the derogatory or strongly negative nature of this term in English. For standard translations, see the translation table at menstruation.
From Middle English cursen, corsen, coursen, from Old English corsian, cursian (“to curse”), from the noun (see above).
curse (third-person singular simple present curses, present participle cursing, simple past and past participle cursed or (archaic) curst)
- (transitive) To place a curse upon (a person or object).
- Synonyms: bewitch, damn, ensorcell, maleficiate
- Antonym: bless
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Numbers 22:10–12:And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
1910, Emerson Hough, “A Lady in Company”, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:Captain Edward Carlisle […] felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, […] ; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such a duty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier to meet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard.
- To call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon; to imprecate evil upon; to execrate.
- Synonyms: comminate, execrate, imprecate
- Antonym: bless
- (transitive) To speak or shout a vulgar curse or epithet.
- Synonyms: swear; see also Thesaurus:swear
- (intransitive) To use offensive or morally inappropriate language.
- Synonym: swear
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 9, column 1:[…] his Spirits heare me, / And yet I needes muſt curſe.
- To bring great evil upon; to be the cause of serious harm or unhappiness to; to furnish with that which will be a cause of deep trouble; to afflict or injure grievously; to harass or torment.
- Synonyms: afflict, shaft, wreak
1712 May, [Alexander] Pope, transl., “The First Book of Statius his Thebais”, in Miscellaneous Poems and Translations. […], London: […] Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, page 29:On Impious Realms, and barb’rous Kings, impoſe / Thy Plagues, and curſe 'em with ſuch Sons as thoſe.
to place a curse upon
- Aghwan: 𐕣𐔴𐕔𐔴𐔼𐕅𐔴𐕔𐔴𐕚𐕒𐕡𐕎 (kefeil'efesun)
- Albanian: mallkoj (sq)
- Arabic: لَعَنَ (ar) (laʕana)
- Armenian: անիծել (hy) (anicel)
- Aromanian: blastim
- Azerbaijani: lənət oxumaq, nifrin etmək, qarğamaq, lənətləmək
- Belarusian: пракліна́ць impf (praklinácʹ), пракля́сці pf (prakljásci), кля́сці impf (kljásci)
- Bulgarian: прокли́нам (bg) impf (proklínam), прокълна́ pf (prokǎlná), кълна́ (bg) impf (kǎlná)
- Catalan: maleir (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 詛咒/诅咒 (zh) (zǔzhòu)
- Cornish: molethi
- Czech: proklínat (cs) impf, proklít (cs) pf, klít (cs) impf
- Danish: forbande (da), fordømme
- Dutch: vervloeken (nl), beheksen (nl), verdoemen (nl)
- Esperanto: malbeni
- Finnish: kirota (fi)
- French: maudire (fr)
- Friulian: maledî, maludî
- Galician: maldicir
- Georgian: დაწყევლა (dac̣q̇evla)
- German: (engl. swear) fluchen (de), verfluchen (de), verdammen (de)
- Greek: αναθεματίζω (el) (anathematízo)
- Ancient: καταράομαι (kataráomai), ὄνομαι (ónomai)
- Hebrew: קילל (kilél)
- Hindi: अभिशाप देना (abhiśāp denā)
- Hungarian: átkoz (hu), megátkoz (hu)
- Icelandic: bölva
- Interlingua: maledicer
- Italian: maledire (it)
- Japanese: 呪う (ja) (のろう, norou)
- Karachay-Balkar: къаргъаргъа (qarğarğa)
- Kazakh: қарғау (qarğau), қарғап-сілеу (qarğap-sıleu), лағынеттеу (lağynetteu)
- Korean: 저주하다 (jeojuhada)
- Kyrgyz: наалат чачуу (naalat cacuu), каргоо (kargoo), каргап-шилөө (kargap-şilöö)
- Latin: exsecror, imprecor, dētestor
- Macedonian: проко́лнува impf (prokólnuva), про́колне pf (prókolne)
- Malayalam: ശപിക്കുക (ml) (śapikkuka)
- Mongolian:
- Cyrillic: хараал хийх (xaraal xiix)
- Mongolian: ᠬᠠᠷᠢᠶᠠᠯ
ᠬᠢᠬᠦ (qariyal kikü)
- Ngazidja Comorian: ulaâni
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: forbanne (no), fordømme (no)
- Nynorsk: forbanne
- Old Church Slavonic:
- Cyrillic: клѧти impf (klęti)
- Old English: wierġan
- Old Irish: do·beir mallachta for
- Old Norse: bǫlva
- Oromo: abaaruu
- Persian: لعنت کردن (la'nat kardan), نفرین کردن (fa) (nefrin kardan)
- Polish: przeklinać (pl) impf, przekląć (pl) pf, bluzgać impf, bluznąć pf
- Portuguese: amaldiçoar (pt)
- Romanian: blestema (ro)
- Russian: проклина́ть (ru) impf (proklinátʹ), прокля́сть (ru) pf (prokljástʹ), клясть (ru) impf (kljastʹ)
- Sanskrit: शपति (sa) (śapati)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: про̀кле̄ти pf, у̀кле̄ти pf, кле̑тӣ impf
- Roman: pròklēti (sh) pf, ùklēti (sh) pf, klȇtī (sh) impf
- Sicilian: maldiri (scn), malidiri (scn), maridiri
- Slovak: preklínať impf, prekliať pf, kliať impf
- Slovene: preklinjati (sl) impf
- Southern Altai: каргаар (kargaar)
- Spanish: maldecir (es)
- Swahili: kulaani (sw)
- Swedish: förbanna (sv), fördöma (sv)
- Tajik: лаънат кардан (laʾnat kardan), нафрин кардан (nafrin kardan)
- Tamil: சபி (ta) (capi)
- Telugu: శపించు (te) (śapiñcu)
- Thai: สาป (th) (sàap), แช่ง (th) (chɛ̂ng)
- Turkish: lanetlemek (tr)
- Ukrainian: проклина́ти impf (proklynáty), прокля́сти pf (prokljásty), кля́сти impf (kljásty)
- Urdu: لعنت بھیجنا (la'nat bhejnā)
- Uyghur: لەنەت ئوقۇماق (lenet oqumaq)
- Uzbek: laʼnatlamoq (uz), laʼnat oʻqimoq
- Vietnamese: nguyền rủa (vi), chửi rủa (vi)
- Walloon: mådi (wa)
- Welsh: melltithio (cy)
- White Hmong: cem
- Yiddish: שילטן (shiltn)
- Zazaki: la'net kerden
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to call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon
to utter a vulgar curse
- Arabic:
- Egyptian Arabic: شَتَمَ m
- Armenian: հայհոյել (hy) (hayhoyel), ուշունց տալ (ušuncʻ tal), քրֆել (hy) (kʻrfel) (colloquial)
- Azerbaijani: söyüş söymək, yaman demək (dialectal)
- Bulgarian: псу́вам (bg) impf (psúvam)
- Czech: klít (cs), nadávat (cs)
- Dutch: vloeken (nl)
- Esperanto: blasfemi, sakri
- Finnish: kirota (fi) (once), kiroilla (fi) (repeatedly)
- Georgian: გინება (gineba)
- German: fluchen (de)
- Gothic: 𐌹𐌳𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (idweitjan)
- Greek: βρίζω (el) (vrízo)
- Hebrew: קילל (kilél)
- Hindi: कोसना (hi) (kosnā), गाली देना (gālī denā)
- Icelandic: bölva
- Ingrian: kerota, manata (once), keroella, manaella (repeatedly)
- Interlingua: blasphemar
- Istriot: bas'ciamà
- Italian: imprecare (it), bestemmiare (it)
- Konkani: सोव्चे (sovce)
- Latin: exsecror
- Maori: kanga, kangakanga, kohukohu, oraora
- Marathi: शिवी देणे (śivī deṇe)
- Polish: przeklinać (pl)
- Portuguese: praguejar (pt)
- Romanian: înjura (ro)
- Romansch: ingiurar, ingiurier, blastemar, blasfemar, blastmer, sgiavlar, diavlar
- Russian: руга́ть (ru) impf (rugátʹ), обруга́ть (ru) pf (obrugátʹ), матери́ть (ru) impf (materítʹ), обматери́ть (ru) pf (obmaterítʹ) (colloquial)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: псо̀вати, опсо̀вати
- Roman: psòvati (sh), opsòvati (sh)
- Sorbian:
- Lower Sorbian: klěś impf
- Spanish: maldecir (es)
- Swedish: svära (sv)
- Turkish: bela okumak (tr), küfretmek (tr), sövmek (tr)
- Volapük: blasfämön (vo)
- Welsh: rhegi (cy)
- Zazaki: neng çinayen
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to use offensive language
- Arabic: شَتَمَ (šatama), سَبَّ (ar) (sabba)
- Armenian: հայհոյել (hy) (hayhoyel)
- Azerbaijani: söyüş söymək
- Belarusian: ла́яцца impf (lájacca)
- Bulgarian: руга́я (bg) impf (rugája), псу́вам (bg) impf (psúvam)
- Chinese:
- Cantonese: 講粗口/讲粗口 (gong2 cou1 hau2)
- Mandarin: 罵人/骂人 (zh) (màrén), 咒罵/咒骂 (zh) (zhòumà)
- Esperanto: blasfemi, sakri
- Finnish: kiroilla (fi)
- French: jurer (fr), gronder (fr)
- Georgian: გინება (gineba)
- German: schimpfen (de), fluchen (de)
- Gothic: 𐌹𐌳𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (idweitjan)
- Greek: βρίζω (el) (vrízo)
- Hindi: कोसना (hi) (kosnā), गाली देना (gālī denā)
- Icelandic: blóta
- Ingrian: keroella, manaella
- Interlingua: blasphemar, objurgar
- Japanese: 罵る (ja) (ののしる, nonoshiru), 悪態をつく (あくたいをつく, akutai o tsuku), 怒鳴る (ja) (どなる, donaru)
- Korean: 욕을 하다 (yogeul hada)
- Macedonian: пцуе impf (pcue)
- Malayalam: ശപിക്കുക (ml) (śapikkuka)
- Marathi: शिव्या देणे (śivyā deṇe)
- Persian: فحش دادن (fa) (fohš dâdan), دشنام دادن (došnâm dâdan)
- Polish: (imperf) kląć (pl), (perf) zakląć (pl)
- Portuguese: xingar (pt)
- Romanian: înjura (ro)
- Russian: руга́ться (ru) impf (rugátʹsja), матери́ться (ru) impf (materítʹsja), скверносло́вить (ru) impf (skvernoslóvitʹ)
- Spanish: maldecir (es)
- Swedish: svära (sv)
- Tajik: дашном додан (dašnom dodan), ҳақорат кардан (tg) (haqorat kardan)
- Thai: สบถ (th) (sà-bòt)
- Turkish: bela okumak (tr), küfretmek (tr), sövmek (tr)
- Tày: bjắc, bjắc bjoi
- Ukrainian: ла́ятися impf (lájatysja), матюка́тися impf (matjukátysja)
- Uzbek: soʻkinmoq (uz)
- Vietnamese: nói tục (vi), văng tục (vi), nói bậy (vi), chửi tục (vi), chửi bậy, chửi thề (vi), chửi (vi)
- Volapük: blasfämön (vo)
- Welsh: rhegi (cy)
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curse
- vocative masculine singular of cursus
curse
- inflection of cursar:
- first/third-person singular present subjunctive
- third-person singular imperative
curse f pl
- plural of cursă
curse
- inflection of cursar:
- first/third-person singular present subjunctive
- third-person singular imperative