cursing
111curse — I UK [kɜː(r)s] / US [kɜrs] verb Word forms curse : present tense I/you/we/they curse he/she/it curses present participle cursing past tense cursed past participle cursed * 1) a) [intransitive] to use offensive or impolite language He looked at… …
112curses — Although invoking God s power to curse is generally done by the clergy, in previous centuries some lay people who believed themselves deeply wronged would utter a ritualized curse, kneeling on their bare knees in some public place in the… …
113curse — [kʉrs] n. [ME & Late OE n. curs, v. cursian: prob. < L cursus (see COURSE), used of the course of daily liturgical prayers and of the set of imprecations in the formal recital of offenses entailing excommunication; hence, consignment to an… …
114four-letter word — noun any of several short English words (often having 4 letters) generally regarded as obscene or offensive • Syn: ↑four letter Anglo Saxon word • Hypernyms: ↑word * * * noun, pl ⋯ words [count] 1 : an offensive word and especially an offensive… …
115bad language — noun Swearing • • • Main Entry: ↑bad bad language Swearing • • • Main Entry: ↑language * * * bad language UK US noun [uncountable] rude words Thesaurus …
116draw blood — {v. phr.}, {informal} To make someone feel hurt or angry. * /If you want to draw blood, ask Jim about his last money making scheme./ * /Her sarcastic comments drew blood./ …
117set to — {v.} 1. To make a serious beginning. * /Charlie took a helping of turkey, grabbed his knife and fork, and set to./ 2. To start to fight. * /One man called the other a liar and they set to./ …
118strong language — {n. phr.} Cursing; swearing. * /When Ned learned that he had been fired, he used some very strong language about his boss./ …
119draw blood — {v. phr.}, {informal} To make someone feel hurt or angry. * /If you want to draw blood, ask Jim about his last money making scheme./ * /Her sarcastic comments drew blood./ …
120set to — {v.} 1. To make a serious beginning. * /Charlie took a helping of turkey, grabbed his knife and fork, and set to./ 2. To start to fight. * /One man called the other a liar and they set to./ …