curse

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
curse/kɜːs/

▶noun

• 1 a solemn appeal to a supernatural power to inflict harm on someone or something.

  ■ a cause of harm or misery.

• 2 an offensive word or phrase used to express anger or annoyance.

• 3 (the curse) informal menstruation.

▶verb

• 1 use a curse against.

  ■ (be cursed with) be afflicted with.

• 2 utter or address with angry expletives.

– derivatives
curser noun.

– origin OE, of unknown origin.