ppl. a. 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. Shaks., 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, into euerlasting fire, prepared for the deuill and his angels.
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. 1591. 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. Maundev. (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. Shaks., 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. Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), II. II. I. § 2. 84. Any Nature thorowly savage, curst, and inveterate.
1836. J. Downes, Mountain Decameron, I. 218. I have told that lie, you seem to know; but why are ye so curst, now, as to want me to tell it o’er again?
1879–81. Miss 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. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 82. To straungers he [the dog] is eger and curst.
1576. Turberv., Venerie, 184. Terryers … are muche curster.
1599. Shaks., 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 it 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.
