• CUR
n. 1600 – a term of contempt; a surly, ill-bred, low, or cowardly fellow
• CURATE
n. 1. 1483 obs. – one who has a charge; a curator; an overseer
n. 2. 1909 Ireland – a spirit-grocer’s assistant
vb. 1934 orig. US – to act as curator of a museum, exhibits, etc. to look after and preserve
• CURATE’S EGG
n. 1905 UK – something that is good in parts; something that is good and bad
• CURATION
n. 1. c1374 obs. – a curing; healing, cure
n. 2. 1769 obs. – curatorship, guardianship
• CURATOLATRY
n. 1871 – worship of a curate or curates
• CURATORY
adj. 1644 – pert. to curing or healing; curative
n. 1. 1560 – the office of a curator
n. 2. 1834 – a college of curators in a foreign university
• CURATRIX
n. 1. 1678 obs. nonce word – a female healer or curer
n. 2. 1846 – a female curator or guardian
• CURATURE
n. 1618 obs. – the office or position of a curator
• CURB
n. 1. 1601 obs. rare – a curve, an arc
n. 2. 1903 US – the body of curbstone brokers
vb. 1. 1377 obs. rare – to bow, to cringe
vb. 2. 1430 obs. rare – to bend, to bow, to curve
• CURBED
adj. a1500 obs. – bent, bowed, curved
• CURB HOP
n. 1937 US sl. – a person who takes orders and serves food to customers seated in their cars
• CURBIE
n. 20C teen & high school sl. – a smoker who must go out where the cars are parked to light up
• CURBING
n. 1601 obs. – curving, curvature
• CURBLESS
adj. 1813 rare – without restraint
• CURB SERVE
vb. 1995 US sl. – to sell crack cocaine on a street corner
• CURB-SETTER
n. 1935 Amer. dial. – a mongrel dog
• CURBSTONE AGENT
n. 1884 US – a broker, not a member of the stock exchange, who transacts business in the streets
• CURBSTONE BROKER
n. 1848 US – a broker, not a member of the stock exchange, who transacts business in the streets
• CURBSTONE OPERATOR
n. 1861 US – a broker, not a member of the stock exchange, who transacts business in the streets
• CURBSTONER
n. 1. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – one who carries on business at the curbstone
n. 2. 1968 US sl. – in the used car business: a dealer who operates with low overheads and a small inventory
• CURBSTONE-SETTER; CURBSTONE-SITTER
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – a mongrel dog
• CURB WASH
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – an outdoor faucet
• CURBY HOCKS
n. c1850 sl. – clumsy feet
• CURCH
n. 1447 Sc. – a covering for the head; a kerchief
• CURD
n. 1. 1759 – the edible head of cauliflower or broccoli
n. 2. 1968 Amer. dial. – a dust ball
• CURDLE
n. 1. 1821 Eng. dial. rare – a ripple or eddy in water
n. 2. 1860 Eng. dial. – a curl of hair, a ringlet
n. 3. 1965 Amer. dial. – sour milk that has thickened
• CURDLED SKY
n. c1930 Amer. dial. – a cloud-filled sky, usually presaging rain
• CURDLING
adj. 1773 – causing terror or horror; frightening or unnerving
• CURE
n. 1. c1000 – choice
n. 2. a1340 obs. – care, anxiety, trouble
n. 3. a1400-50 obs. – cookery
n. 4. 1502 obs. – that which covers, a cover
n. 5. 1580 obs. – one under medical treatment; a patient
n. 6. 1856 sl. – an odd or eccentric person; a funny fellow
n. 7. 1949 US sl. – suicide
vb. 1. a1225 obs. rare – to choose
vb. 2. a1400 obs. – to cover; to conceal; to protect
• THE CURE
n. 1953 US sl. – treatment for drug addiction
• CURE-BEARER
n. 1545 obs. – one who bears or has the care of something
• CURED
adj. 1463 obs. – covered, having a cover
• CURE-MASTER
n. 1733 – one who superintends the curing of herrings
• CURE-PASSING
adj. 1611 – past remedy, incurable
• CURER
n. 1996 Sc. sl. – an alcoholic drink taken to alleviate the symptoms of a hangover
• CURE-THE-PLAGUE
n. 2000 US sl. – the bleed period of the menstrual cycle
• CURFLOOZIE
n. World War II Amer. sl. – a woman wandering the streets
• CURFUFFLE
n. 1813 Sc. – a disturbance or disorder of any kind; flurry, agitation
vb. 1583 Sc. – to put into a state of disorder; to ruffle
• CURGLAFF
n. 18C Sc. – the shock felt when one first plunges into cold water
• CURIA
n. 1706 – a court of justice, counsel, or administration; especially used of the royal and other courts of the feudal organization
• THE CURIA
n. 1840 – the Papal court
• CURIAL
adj. 1478 obs. – pert. to a royal court; having the manners befitting a court; courtly
n. 1447 obs. – a member of a court; a courtier
• CURIALITY
n. 1. a1626 obs. – what pertains to a court
n. 2. 1633 obs. – courtliness
• CURIOSA
n. 1883 – curiosities, oddities; erotic or pornographic books
• CURIOSITY
n. 1. c1386 obs. – undue fastidiousness as to food, clothing, matters of taste and behaviour
n. 2. c1400 obs. – careful attention to detail; scrupulousness; exactness, accuracy
n. 3. c1430 obs. – carefulness; the application of care or attention
n. 4. 1603 obs. – proficiency attained by careful application; skill, cleverness, ingenuity
n. 5. 1646 obs. – a pursuit in which anyone takes an interest, or for which he has a fancy; a hobby
n. 6. a1684 obs. – scientific or artistic interest; the quality of a curioso or virtuoso; connoisseurship
• CURIOSO
n. 1658 arch. – one who is curious in matters of science and art; later, an admirer or collector of curiosities; a connoisseur, a virtuoso
• CURIOUS
adj. 1. c1380 obs. – difficult to satisfy; particular; fastidious
adj. 2. c1384 obs. – recondite, occult
adj. 3. c1386 obs. – bestowing care or pains; careful; studious, attentive
adj. 4. c1394 obs. – of food, clothing, etc.: exquisitely prepared, dainty, delicate
adj. 5. c1400 obs. – anxious, concerned, solicitous
adj. 6. c1400 obs. – intricate, abstruse, subtle
adj. 7. 1423 obs. – ingenious, skilful, clever, expert
adj. 8. 1475 obs. – exquisite, choice, excellent, fine in beauty, flavour or other good quality
adj. 9. 1561 obs. – carefully worked out or prepared; elaborate
adj. 10. 1614 obs. – minutely accurate, exact, precise
adj. 11. 1642 obs. – careful in observation or investigation, accurate
• CURIOUSLY
adv. 1. 1340 arch. – skilfully, elaborately, exquisitely, cunningly
adv. 2. a1382 arch. – carefully, attentively
adv. 3. 1548 obs. – finely, excellently, handsomely, beautifully
adv. 4. 1573 arch. – with minute accuracy, minutely, critically, fastidiously, nicely, delicately
• CURIOUS-MINDED
adj. 1954 Amer. dial. – odd, not quite right mentally
• CURIOUSNESS
n. 1. c1386 obs. – beauty; elaborateness; exquisiteness; also, strangeness, novelty, oddness
n. 2. c1440 obs. – carefulness; diligence; skilfulness; scrupulosity; fastidiousness
• CURIOUSSOME
adj. 1957 Amer. dial. – curious, odd, peculiar, strange
• CURISOME
adj. 1884 Amer. dial. – curious, odd, peculiar, strange
• CURKLE
vb. 1693 obs. – to cry as a quail
• CURL
n. 1. 1941 Aust. sl. – the curved top of a wave as it breaks
n. 2. 1962 Amer. dial. – a wave, esp. the concave face of a cresting breaker
n. 3. 1962 Amer. dial. – a little flourish on handwriting
n. 4. 1965 Amer. dial. – a soft roll of dust
n. 5. 1984 Aust. sl. – a form of address for a bald man or one with curly hair
vb. 1. 1533 obs. rare – to purr, as a cat
vb. 2. a1637 obs. – to twist about, to writhe
• CURL A MO
adj. 1941 Aust. sl. – great, terrific, excellent
int. 1954 Aust. sl. – terrific!
• CURL A PERSON’S HAIR
vb. 1949 colloq. – to horrify, to frighten
• CURLED
adj. 1968 Amer. dial. – of milk: sour, curdled
• CURLET
n. 1803 rare – a little curl or ringlet
• CURLED-PATE
adj. a1616 obs. – curly-headed
• CURLICUE
n. 1. 1844 – a fantastic curl or twist
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a mental twist, an eccentric line of conduct
n. 3. 1969 Amer. dial. – a dust ball
vb. 1844 – to bend elaborately or fantastically
• CURLIES
n. 1973 US sl. – pubic hair
• CURLIMACUES
n. 1951 Amer. dial. – little flourishes on handwriting to make it look fancy
• CURLING
n. 1495 obs. – rumbling in the bowels
• CURLING TIN
n. 1937 Amer. dial. – a hair curler
• CURL-PATE
n. 1. 1605 – a curly-headed person
n. 2. 1615 – a curly head
• CURL-PATED
adj. 1594 – having a curly head of hair
• CURL THE MO
adj. 1941 Aust. sl. – great, terrific, excellent
int. 1954 Aust. sl. – terrific!
vb. 1944 Aust. sl. – to succeed brilliantly, to win
• CURLY
n. 1. 1965 Amer. dial. – a little flourish on handwriting; a curlicue
n. 2. 1967 Amer. dial. – a cigarette, esp. a hand-rolled one
n. 3. 1969 Amer. dial. – a dust ball
• CURLYCUE
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a mental twist, an eccentric line of conduct
• CURLYCUES
n. Bk1905 Amer. dial. – flourishes
• CURLY DIRT
n. 1953 Amer. dial. – dust balls
• CURLY FLOWER
n. 1909 Amer. dial. – the cauliflower
• CURLY-MURLY
adj. 1728 obs. – characterized by fantastic curls
n. 1756 obs. – a fantastic curl or twist
• CURLY-PATE
n. 1869 – a curly headed person
• CURLY PUDDING
n. 1959 Amer. dial. rare – tapioca
• CURLY WOLF
n. 1919 Amer. dial. – an objectionable or mean person; a tough character
• CURLY-WURLY
adj. 1853 colloq. – twisting and curling
n. a1772 – a fantastically curled ornament
• CURMUDGEON
n. 1587 – an avaricious churlish fellow; a miser, a niggard
• CURMUDGEONLY
adj. 1590 – of the nature of a curmudgeon; miserly, niggardly, churlish
• CURMUR
n. 1892 Sc. – the purring of a cat
vb. 1831 – to make a low murmuring or purring sound
• CURMURRING
n. 1787 Sc. – a low rumbling, growling, or murmuring sound
• CURN
n. 1785 Eng. dial. – a small number or quantity; a few
• CURNEY
n. 1823 Sc. – a company, a lot
• CURNIE-WURNIE
n. 19C Sc. – a nursery term for the little finger
• CURNUBBLE
vb. 1834 Amer. dial. – to beat, to pummel
• CURPLE
n. a1796 Sc. – the rump, posteriors
• CURR
vb. 1677 – to make a low murmuring sound, like the cooing of a dove or purring of a cat
• CURRAGH
n. 1780 Ireland – a marsh, bog, or fen; an area of wetland
• CURRANT BUN
n. 1. L19 Cockney rhyming sl. – the sun
n. 2. 1962 rhyming sl. – a son
n. 3. 20C Brit. rhyming sl. – The Sun newspaper
• CURRANTS-AND-PLUMS
n. Bk1903 sl. – threepence
• CURRE
n. 1483 obs. – a chariot
• CURRENCE
n. 1651 obs. rare – currency
• CURRENCY
n. 1. 1657 obs. rare – a flowing, flow; course; a current, stream
n. 2. 1827 Aust. – persons born in Australia, as distinguished from ‘sterling’ or English-born
• CURRENT
adj. 1. c1300 rare – running; flowing
adj. 2. 1523 obs. – having a fall or inclination; sloping
adj. 3. 1891 – of handwriting: ‘running’; cursive
adj. 4. 1918 Amer. dial. – in good health, active, lively, spry
n. 1. 1708 obs. – the course of a river or other flowing body
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – the sweetheart of the moment
• CURRENT EXCITEMENT
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – the sweetheart of the moment
• CURRENTNESS
n. 1. 1583 obs. – a being current or in circulation; currency
n. 2. 1586 obs. – fluency, easy flow of language, etc.
• CURRETER; CURRETTER
n. 1580 obs. – a broker
• CURRICLE
n. 1. a1682 obs. – a course, running
n. 2. 1752 – a light two-wheeled carriage, usually drawn by two horses abreast
• CURRICLEER
n. 1794 obs. – one who drives a curricle
• CURRICULAR
adj. 1798 rare – pert. to driving or to carriages
• CURRIER
n. c1530 – one who curries favour
• CURRIE-WURRIE
adj. 19C Sc. – violently disputing
n. 1821 Sc. – a violent dispute
vb. 19C Sc. – to dispute violently
• CURRISH
adj. c1460 – like a cur in nature; snappish, snarling, quarrelsome, mean-spirited, base, ignoble
• CURRY
n. c1430 obs. rare – the currying or dressing of leather
vb. 1. c1394 obs. – to ‘stroke down’ a person with flattery or blandishment
vb. 2. a1529 – to beat or thrash one’s hide for him; to give a drubbing to
vb. 3. 1598 – to tickle, to scrape, to scratch, to claw
vb. 4. 1608 obs. – to ride or run with haste or rapidity; to scurry
• CURRY-FAVEL
n. 1515 obs. – one who solicits favour by flattery or complaisance
vb. a1420 obs. – to use insincere flattery, or unworthy compliance with the humour of another, in order to gain personal advantage
• CURRY-FAVOUR
n. 1. 1577 obs. – one who solicits favour by flattery or complaisance
n. 2. 1581 obs. – a currying favour with others
• CURRY-FAVOURER
n. 1563 obs. – one who solicits favour by flattery or complaisance
• CURRYING
n. 1807 – a drubbing, a thrashing, a scolding
• CURRY ONE’S JACKET
vb. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – to whip soundly on the back
• CURRY ONE’S SKIN-COAT
vb. B1900 – to beat a person severely; to thrash
• CURSARARY
adj. 1632 obs. rare – pert. to corsairs (pirates)
• THE CURSE
n. 1930 euphemism – menstruation
• CURSEDHEAD
n. 1382 obs. – cursedness, execrable wickedness
• CURSEDHOOD
n. 1382 obs. – cursedness
• CURSEDNESSES
n. 1483 obs. rare – miseries, misfortunes
• CURSEFUL
adj. a1382 rare – fraught with a curse
• CURSEMENT
n. 1393 obs. rare – cursing, malediction
• CURSE OF SCOTLAND
n. 1715 – the nine of diamonds in a pack of cards
• CURSHIP
n. 1663 – the estate or personality of a cur; used as a mock title
• CURSITATE
vb. 1866 rare – to run this way and that; to flit
• CURSITATION
n. 1630 obs. – a running or going hither and thither; perambulation
• CURSITOR
n. 1. 1567 obs. – one who wanders about the country; a vagabond, a tramp
n. 2. a1604 obs. – a running messenger, a courier
n. 3. 1762 obs. – a secretary
• CURSITORY
adj. 1632 obs. rare – cursory; passing rapidly over a thing or subject, so as to take no note of details; hasty, hurried, passing
• CURSOR
n. 1566 obs. – a runner, a running messenger
• CURSORARY
adj. a1616 obs. rare – cursory; passing rapidly over a thing or subject, so as to take no note of details; hasty, hurried, passing
• CURSORIWISE
adv. 1598 obs. – in a cursory manner
• CURSORY
adj. 1606 obs. rare – moving about, travelling
• CURT
vb. a1618 obs. – to cut short, to shorten
• CURTAIN JERKER
n. 1892 – a performance, game, or fight that takes place before the main event, esp. as the first event on the bill; a curtain-raiser; also, a person who takes part in such lower-profile events (often used derogatorily)
• CURTAIN-LECTURE
n. 1633 – a reproof given by a wife to her husband in bed
• CURTAIN-SERMON
n. 1611 obs. – a reproof given by a wife to her husband in bed
• CURTAIN-TWITCHER
n. 1940 colloq., chiefly Brit. – a person who observes other people’s activities from his or her window, esp. in a furtive and prying manner; a nosy neighbour
• CURTAL
adj. 1. 1576 obs. – of horses: having the tail docked
adj. 2. 1579 obs. – abridged, curtailed; brief, scant, curt
adj. 3. 1599 obs. – of dogs: having the tail cut short or cut off
n. 1. 1530 obs. – a horse with its tail cut short or docked, and sometimes the ears cropped
n. 2. 1567 cant obs. – a rogue who wears a short cloak
n. 3. 1578 obs. – a term of derision or opprobrium
n. 4. 1592 obs. – a person whose ears are cropped
n. 5. 1608 obs. – any animal that has lost its tail
n. 6. 1611 obs. – a drab; a nasty slattern
• CURTALIZE
vb. 1622 obs. – to curtail
• CURTAN
n. 1697 obs. – a board, pointless sword
• CURTATIVELY
adv. 1830 rare – in a shortened or clipped manner
• CURTED
adj. 1568 obs. – shortened, curtailed, curt
• CURTELAIN
n. a1400 obs. rare – ? a gardener; the monk in charge of the garden of a monastery
• CURTILATE
vb. 1665 obs. – to curtail
• CURTILER
n. a1300 obs. rare – a gardener
• CURTIPENDULOUS
adj. 1657 obs. – hanging by a short stem, as an apple
• CURTSY
n. 1528 obs. – a ‘mannerly’ or moderate quantity, a small quantity
• CURTSY MUG
n. 1967 Amer. dial. euphemism – a chamber pot
• CURVACIOUS
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – curved
• CURVACIOUS CUTIE
n. Bk1942 Amer. college sl. – an attractive girl
• CURVAL
adj. 1730 rare – characterized by curvature; curved
• CURVANT
adj. a1500 obs. – turning away from the right course; deviant
• CURVATE
adj. a1425 rare – curved
• CURVATED
adj. 1598 rare – curved
• CURVATURE
vb. a1811 rare – to curve, to bend
• CURVEBALL
n. 1936 orig. US – something whose unexpectedness or unpredictable nature enables one to disorient or wrong-foot one’s opponents; generally, something unexpected, surprising, or disorienting
• CURVEBALLER
n. 1913 – in baseball: a pitcher who specializes in throwing curveballs
• CURVET
vb. 1595 – of a person or any animal: to leap about, to caper, to prance
• CURVETTER
n. 2003 – a person who capers or dances
• CURVICAUDATE
adj. 1864 obs. rare – having a curved tail
• CURVICUE
n. 1851 Amer. dial. – a curlicue; a little flourish on handwriting, etc.
• CURVIFEROUS
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – curved
• CURVIFY
vb. 1. 1599 obs. – to become curved or bent
vb. 2. 1604 obs. – to make curved; to bend; to curl hair
• CURVITY
n. a1425 rare – a being curved or bent; curvedness; also, a curve
• CURVOUS
adj. 1661 rare – curved, having curves; crooked
• CURVULAR
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – curved
• CURVULATE
adj. 1887 rare – slightly curved
• CURTAINS
n. 1901 sl., orig. US – death
• CURWHIBBLE
n. 1842 – ? a whimsical or nonsensical contrivance
• CURY
n. 1. a1387 obs. – cookery
n. 2. c1460 – cooked food; a dish
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