v. t. [ OE. acursien, acorsien; pref. a + cursien to curse. See Curse. ] To devote to destruction; to imprecate misery or evil upon; to curse; to execrate; to anathematize. [ 1913 Webster ]

And the city shall be accursed. Josh. vi. 17. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thro' you, my life will be accurst. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } p. p. & a. Doomed to destruction or misery; cursed; hence, bad enough to be under the curse; execrable; detestable; exceedingly hateful; -- as, an accursed deed. Shak. -- Ac*curs"ed*ly, adv. -- Ac*curs"ed*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Aëro- + curve. ] (Aëronautics) A modification of the aëroplane, having curved surfaces, the advantages of which were first demonstrated by Lilienthal. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. (Elec.) A current which periodically changes or reverses its direction of flow, especially an electric current that reverses direction sinusoidally, as is used for most domestic and industrial power requirements. Contrasted with direct curent.
Syn. -- AC [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

The common household current is alternating. Alternating current is easier than direct current to transform to high voltage and back, making long-distance transmission more efficient. [ PJC ]

n. [ F., competition, equality of rights, fr. LL. concurrentia competition. ] 1. The act of concurring; a meeting or coming together; union; conjunction; combination. [ 1913 Webster ]

We have no other measure but our own ideas, with the concurence of other probable reasons, to persuade us. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A meeting of minds; agreement in opinion; union in design or act; -- implying joint approbation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tarquin the Proud was expelled by the universal concurrence of nobles and people. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Agreement or consent, implying aid or contribution of power or influence; cooperation. [ 1913 Webster ]

We collect the greatness of the work, and the necessity of the divine concurrence to it. Rogers. [ 1913 Webster ]

An instinct that works us to its own purposes without our concurrence. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A common right; coincidence of equal powers; as, a concurrence of jurisdiction in two different courts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Concurrence. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. concurrent, L. concurrens, p. pr. of concurrere. ] 1. Acting in conjunction; agreeing in the same act or opinion; contributing to the same event or effect; cooperating. [ 1913 Webster ]

I join with these laws the personal presence of the kings' son, as a concurrent cause of this reformation. Sir J. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]

The concurrent testimony of antiquity. Bp. Warburton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Conjoined; associate; concomitant; existing or happening at the same time. [ 1913 Webster ]

There is no difference the concurrent echo and the iterant but the quickness or slowness of the return. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Changes . . . concurrent with the visual changes in the eye. Tyndall. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Joint and equal in authority; taking cognizance of similar questions; operating on the same objects; as, the concurrent jurisdiction of courts. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Geom.) Meeting in one point.

Syn. -- Meeting; uniting; accompanying; conjoined; associated; coincident; united. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, concurs; a joint or contributory cause. [ 1913 Webster ]

To all affairs of importance there are three necessary concurrents . . . time, industry, and faculties. Dr. H. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One pursuing the same course, or seeking the same objects; hence, a rival; an opponent. [ 1913 Webster ]

Menander . . . had no concurrent in his time that came near unto him. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Chron.) One of the supernumerary days of the year over fifty-two complete weeks; -- so called because they concur with the solar cycle, the course of which they follow. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With concurrence; unitedly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being concurrent; concurrence. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Running in an opposite direction. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A current running in an opposite direction to the main current. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a stretch of turbulent water in the sea.
Syn. -- rip, riptide, tide rip. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a tendency or sentiment within a group which conflicts with that of the majority; -- often used in the plural. [ PJC ]

adj. held back from some action, especially by force. Opposite of unrestrained.
Syn. -- checked, restrained. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ OE. courfew, curfu, fr. OF. cuevrefu, covrefeu, F. couvre-feu; covrir to cover + feu fire, fr. L. focus fireplace, hearth. See Cover, and Focus. ] 1. The ringing of an evening bell, originally a signal to the inhabitants to cover fires, extinguish lights, and retire to rest, -- instituted by William the Conqueror; also, the bell itself. [ 1913 Webster ]

He begins at curfew, and walks till the first cock. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The village curfew, as it tolled profound. Campbell. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A utensil for covering the fire. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

For pans, pots, curfews, counters and the like. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A cuirass. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having curls; curly; sinuous; wavy; as, curled maple (maple having fibers which take a sinuous course). [ 1913 Webster ]

Curled hair (Com.), the hair of the manes and tails of horses, prepared for upholstery purposes. McElrath. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. State of being curled; curliness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, curls. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A player at the game called curling. Burns. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A small cylindrical object sometimes having a clamping attachment, around which hair is wound so as to produce curls; as, she slept all night with a head full of curlers. [ PJC ]

4. an electrical appliance with a handle and a metal rod-shaped tip which is heated and around which hair is wound, to produce curls in the hair; -- called also curling iron. [ PJC ]

n. [ F. courlieu, corlieu, courlis; perh. of imitative origin, but cf. OF. corlieus courier; L. currere to run + levis light. ] (Zool.) A wading bird of the genus Numenius, remarkable for its long, slender, curved bill. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The common European curlew is Numenius arquatus. The long-billed (Numenius longirostris), the Hudsonian (Numenius Hudsonicus), and the Eskimo curlew (Numenius borealis, are American species. The name is said to imitate the note of the European species. [ 1913 Webster ]

Curlew Jack (Zool.) the whimbrel or lesser curlew. --
Curlew sandpiper (Zool.), a sandpiper (Tringa ferruginea or Tringa subarquata), common in Europe, rare in America, resembling a curlew in having a long, curved bill. See Illustation in Appendix. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Currencies [ Cf. LL. currentia a current, fr. L. currens, p. pr. of currere to run. See Current. ] 1. A continued or uninterrupted course or flow like that of a stream; as, the currency of time. [ Obs. ] Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state or quality of being current; general acceptance or reception; a passing from person to person, or from hand to hand; circulation; as, a report has had a long or general currency; the currency of bank notes. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is in circulation, or is given and taken as having or representing value; as, the currency of a country; a specie currency; esp., government or bank notes circulating as a substitute for metallic money. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Fluency; readiness of utterance. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Current value; general estimation; the rate at which anything is generally valued. [ 1913 Webster ]

He . . . takes greatness of kingdoms according to their bulk and currency, and not after intrinsic value. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

The bare name of Englishman . . . too often gave a transient currency to the worthless and ungrateful. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OE. currant, OF. curant, corant, p. pr. of curre, corre, F. courre, courir, to run, from L. currere; perh. akin to E. horse. Cf. Course, Concur, Courant, Coranto. ] 1. Running or moving rapidly. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Like the current fire, that renneth
Upon a cord. Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

To chase a creature that was current then
In these wild woods, the hart with golden horns. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Now passing, as time; as, the current month. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Passing from person to person, or from hand to hand; circulating through the community; generally received; common; as, a current coin; a current report; current history. [ 1913 Webster ]

That there was current money in Abraham's time is past doubt. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

Your fire-new stamp of honor is scarce current. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

His current value, which is less or more as men have occasion for him. Grew. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Commonly estimated or acknowledged. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Fitted for general acceptance or circulation; authentic; passable. [ 1913 Webster ]

O Buckingham, now do I play the touch
To try if thou be current gold indeed. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Account current. See under Account. --
Current money, lawful money. Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. courant. See Current, a. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A flowing or passing; onward motion. Hence: A body of fluid moving continuously in a certain direction; a stream; esp., the swiftest part of it; as, a current of water or of air; that which resembles a stream in motion; as, a current of electricity. [ 1913 Webster ]

Two such silver currents, when they join,
Do glorify the banks that bound them in. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The surface of the ocean is furrowed by currents, whose direction . . . the navigator should know. Nichol. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. General course; ordinary procedure; progressive and connected movement; as, the current of time, of events, of opinion, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Current meter, an instrument for measuring the velocity, force, etc., of currents. --
Current mill, a mill driven by a current wheel. --
Current wheel, a wheel dipping into the water and driven by the current of a stream or by the ebb and flow of the tide.

Syn. -- Stream; course. See Stream. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a current manner; generally; commonly; as, it is currently believed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The quality of being current; currency; circulation; general reception. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Easiness of pronunciation; fluency. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

When currentness [ combineth ] with staidness, how can the language . . . sound other than most full of sweetness? Camden. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To utter imprecations or curses; to affirm or deny with imprecations; to swear. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then began he to curse and to swear. Matt. xxi. 74. [ 1913 Webster ]

His spirits hear me,
And yet I need must curse. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Cursed r Curst; p. pr. & vb. n. Cursing. ] [ AS. cursian, corsian, perh. of Scand. origin; cf. Dan. korse to make the sign of the cross, Sw. korsa, fr. Dan. & Sw. kors cross, Icel kross, all these Scand. words coming fr. OF. crois, croiz, fr. L. crux cross. Cf. Cross. ] 1. To call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon; to imprecate evil upon; to execrate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou shalt not . . . curse the ruler of thy people. Ex. xxii. 28. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ere sunset I'll make thee curse the deed. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

On impious realms and barbarous kings impose
Thy plagues, and curse 'em with such sons as those. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

To curse by bell, book, and candle. See under Bell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. curs. See Curse, v. t. ] 1. An invocation of, or prayer for, harm or injury; malediction. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lady, you know no rules of charity,
Which renders good for bad, blessings for curses. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Evil pronounced or invoked upon another, solemnly, or in passion; subjection to, or sentence of, divine condemnation. [ 1913 Webster ]

The priest shall write these curses in a book. Num. v. 23. [ 1913 Webster ]

Curses, like chickens, come home to roost. Old Proverb. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The cause of great harm, evil, or misfortune; that which brings evil or severe affliction; torment. [ 1913 Webster ]

The common curse of mankind, folly and ignorance. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

All that I eat, or drink, or shall beget,
Is propagated curse. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The curse of Scotland (Card Playing), the nine of diamonds. --
Not worth a curse. See under Cress.

Syn. -- Malediction; imprecation; execration. See Malediction. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Deserving a curse; execrable; hateful; detestable; abominable. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let us fly this cursed place. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

This cursed quarrel be no more renewed. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a cursed manner; miserably; in a manner to be detested; enormously. [ Low ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The state of being under a curse or of being doomed to execration or to evil. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Wickedness; sin; cursing. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Shrewishness. “My wife's cursedness.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who curses. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Curtana. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ . A corruption of Cutlass. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Courteous. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Curtesies [ Either fr. courlesy, the lands being held as it were by favor; or fr. court (LL. curtis), the husband being regarded as holding the lands as a vassal of the court. See Court, Courtesy. ] (Law) the life estate which a husband has in the lands of his deceased wife, which by the common law takes effect where he has had issue by her, born alive, and capable of inheriting the lands. Mozley & W. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. curvus bent, curved. See Cirb. ] Bent without angles; crooked; curved; as, a curve line; a curve surface. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Curve, a., Cirb. ] 1. A bending without angles; that which is bent; a flexure; as, a curve in a railway or canal. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Geom.) A line described according to some low, and having no finite portion of it a straight line. [ 1913 Webster ]

Axis of a curve. See under Axis. --
Curve of quickest descent. See Brachystochrone. --
Curve tracing (Math.), the process of determining the shape, location, singular points, and other peculiarities of a curve from its equation. --
Plane curve (Geom.), a curve such that when a plane passes through three points of the curve, it passes through all the other points of the curve. Any other curve is called a curve of double curvature, or a twisted curve. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Curved p. pr. & vb. n. Curving. ] [ L. curvare., fr. curvus. See Curve, a., Curb. ] To bend; to crook; as, to curve a line; to curve a pipe; to cause to swerve from a straight course; as, to curve a ball in pitching it. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To bend or turn gradually from a given direction; as, the road curves to the right. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. not straight; having or marked by curves. Opposite of straight. [ Narrower terms: arced, arched, arching, arciform, arcuate, bowed; falcate, sickle-shaped; flexuous; incurvate, incurved: recurved, recurvate; semicircular: serpentine, snaky: sinuate, sinuous, wavy: sinusoidal ]
Syn. -- curving. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. (Botany) curved with the micropyle near the base almost touching its stalk; -- of a plant ovule. Opposite of orthotropous.
Syn. -- campylotropous. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The state of being curved. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. corvet, It.corvetta: cf. F. courbette. See Curve, and cf. Corvetto. ] 1. (Man.) A particular leap of a horse, when he raises both his fore legs at once, equally advanced, and, as his fore legs are falling, raises his hind legs, so that all his legs are in the air at once. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A prank; a frolic. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Curveted or -vetted; p. pr. & vb. n. Curveting or -vetting. ] [ Cf. It. corvettare. See Curvet, n. ] 1. To make a curvet; to leap; to bound. “Oft and high he did curvet.” Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To leap and frisk; to frolic. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To cause to curvet. Landor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of running down; a lapse. [ R. ] Gauden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. decurrens, -entis, p. pr. of decurrere to run down; de- + currere to run: cf. F. décurrent. ] (Bot.) Extending downward; -- said of a leaf whose base extends downward and forms a wing along the stem. -- De*cur"rent*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

. (Elec.) The current flowing through a delta connection. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. (Elec.) (a) A current flowing in one direction only; -- distinguished from alternating current. When steady and not pulsating a direct current is often called a continuous current. (b)
A direct induced current, or momentary current of the same direction as the inducing current, produced by stopping or removing the latter; also, a similar current produced by removal of a magnet. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Not current or free to circulate; not in use. [ Obs. ] Sir E. Sandys. [ 1913 Webster ]