1. The condition of being cursed or under a curse; damnation; misery. † b. pl. Miseries, misfortunes (obs. rare).
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 7228. Woo to þo þat erly … haunte þe tauerne … Cursednes hem folowyþ at þe endyng.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 275/3. To haue soo many cursidnesses or ylle happes.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 334/2. Them that were slaues to Sathan, and ouer the eares in the deepe bottomelesse pitte of cursednesse.
1651–3. Jer. Taylor, Serm. for Year, I. xi. 142. The Poet describes the cursednesse of their posterity.
1836–9. Dickens, Sk. Boz (1850), 265/1. Mr. Watkins Tottle had long lived in a state of single blessedness, as bachelors say, or single cursedness, as spinsters think.
1875. T. Hill, True Order Studies, 140. If you would know the reality and cursedness of sin, the nobility and glory of virtue, said my Latin tutor to me, read the ‘Agricola,’ of Tacitus.
† 2. The condition of being execrably wicked; abominable wickedness. b. (with a and pl.) An act or practice of wickedness. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1575 (Gött.). Þair cursednes was noght vnkid.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pard. T., 310. Ydel sweryng is a cursednes.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, 30. In moche cursidnes and wickednes.
1549–62. Sternhold & H., Ps. x. 7. His mouth is full of cursedness.
a. 1639. W. Whateley, Prototypes, II. xxvi. (1640), 75. By walking in a way of cursednesse.
† 3. An accursed thing, ‘abomination.’ Obs. rare.
c. 1550. Cheke, Matt. xxiv. 15. When ie se ye cursednes of desolation, which was spooken of bi daniel ye propheet, standing in an holi place.
4. (Usually curstness.) Malignancy or perversity of disposition, ill temper, crabbedness; fierceness, savageness; virulence (of poison). Obs. or arch.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Merch. Prol., 27. As I … Koude tellen of my wyues cursednesse.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 167. He that is to every man contrary, And he that bostithe of his cursidnesse.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xix. (Arb.), 209. With spitefull speach, curstnesse and crueltie.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXVII. xxxiv. 654. As the curstnesse and rigor of parents, is to be mollified by patience.
1633. T. Adams, Exp. 2 Peter i. 18. Profane persons swear, as dogs bark, not ever for curstness, but for custom.
1634. T. Johnson, Parey’s Chirurg., XXI. xix. (1678), 474. The Basilisk far exceeds all Kinds of Serpents in the curstness of its poison.
1867. E. B. Ramsay, Remin. (ed. 16), Pref. p. xxi. ‘Curstness’ (or crabbedness) of man’s nature.
