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2 VERB If you curse someone, you say insulting things to them because you are angry with them. □ [V n] Grandma protested, but he cursed her and rudely pushed her aside. □ [V pron-refl] He cursed himself for having been so careless.

3 VERB If you curse something, you complain angrily about it, especially using rude language. □ [V n] So we set off again, cursing the delay, towards the west.

4 N‑COUNT If you say that there is a curse on someone, you mean that there seems to be a supernatural power causing unpleasant things to happen to them. □ [+ on/upon ] Maybe there is a curse on my family.

5 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can refer to something that causes a great deal of trouble or harm as a curse . □ [+ of ] Apathy is the long-standing curse of British local democracy.

curs|ed /kɜː ^r st/

1 ADJ [v-link ADJ with n] If you are cursed with something, you are very unlucky in having it. □ [+ with ] Bulman was cursed with a poor memory for names.

2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] Someone or something that is cursed is suffering as the result of a curse. □  The whole family seemed cursed.

cur|sor /kɜː ^r sə ^r / (cursors ) N‑COUNT On a computer screen, the cursor is a small shape that indicates where anything that is typed by the user will appear. [COMPUTING ]

cur|sory /kɜː ^r səri/ ADJ [ADJ n] A cursory glance or examination is a brief one in which you do not pay much attention to detail. □  Burke cast a cursory glance at the menu, then flapped it shut.

curt /kɜː ^r t/ ADJ If you describe someone as curt , you mean that they speak or reply in a brief and rather rude way. □  Her tone of voice was curt. □  'The matter is closed,' was the curt reply. ●  curt|ly ADV [ADV with v] □  'I'm leaving,' she said curtly.

cur|tail /kɜː ^r te I l/ (curtails , curtailing , curtailed ) VERB If you curtail something, you reduce or limit it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] NATO plans to curtail the number of troops being sent to the region.

cur|tail|ment /kɜː ^r te I lmənt/ N‑SING The curtailment of something is the act of reducing or limiting it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …the curtailment of presidential power.

cur|tain ◆◇◇ /kɜː ^r t ^ə n/ (curtains )

1 N‑COUNT Curtains are large pieces of material which you hang from the top of a window. [mainly BRIT ] □  Her bedroom curtains were drawn. in AM, usually use drapes 2 N‑COUNT Curtains are pieces of very thin material which you hang in front of windows in order to prevent people from seeing in. [AM ] in BRIT, use net curtains 3 N‑SING In a theatre, the curtain is the large piece of material that hangs in front of the stage until a performance begins. □  The curtain rises toward the end of the Prelude.

4 N‑SING You can refer to something as a curtain when it is thick and difficult to see through or get past. [LITERARY ] □ [+ of ] Something dark disappeared behind the curtain of leaves.

5 → see also Iron Curtain

6 PHRASE If something brings down the curtain on an event or situation, it causes or marks the end of it. □  …management changes that will finally bring down the curtain on Lord Forte's extraordinary working life

cu r|tain call (curtain calls ) also curtain-call N‑COUNT In a theatre, when actors or performers take a curtain call , they come forward to the front of the stage after a performance in order to receive the applause of the audience. □  They took 23 curtain calls.

cur|tained /kɜː ^r t ^ə nd/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A curtained window, door, or other opening has a curtain hanging across it. □  …heavily-curtained windows.