Middle English Dictionary Entry
curs n.
Entry Info
| Forms | curs n. Also curce, cors. |
| Etymology | OE curs, prob. L cursus 'the set of daily liturgical prayers' applied to 'the set of imprecations' of the gret curs; see sense 2. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The consignment of a person to an evil fate; malediction; also, an instance of this; -- said either of God, Christ, etc., or of a person invoking divine vengeance or punishment; (b) the malediction of the common folk; communes ~.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.656 : Leidon þa Godes curs and ealre halgane curs & al Cristene folces, þe ani þing undyde þet þær wæs ge don. 'Swa beo hit,' seiþ alle, 'Amen.'
- ?a1300 Fox & W.(Dgb 86)201 : Ich habbe widewene kors, Þerfore ich fare þe wors.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.430 : Haue he Cristes curs & mine, Wiþ boke & eke wiþ belle.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)303 : Cristes cors come on hure croun, for traytours wern hee.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.121 : Cham was Noes sone, and hadde his fader cors [L maledictas].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Co.(Manly-Rickert)A.4349 : Of many a pilgrym hastow Cristes curs.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)72a/a : Þe fadir curs [L maledictio] greueþ þe children, as it farith in Caymes children.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)322 : He schal haue for his grucchyng Seint Maries curs.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)328-9 : Þes lawieris moten sette more priss bi a wrongful curs of a worldly prest..þan bi þe moste riȝtful curs þat God can ȝeve.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)5990 : The curs hast þou off þe Holy Goost!
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)44/4,6 : And for þo xxx pens he hadde xxx sythes goddys curs..for euery peny he hadde a sundry curs of god.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)45/24 : Þou..hast..for brekyng of euery comaundment a curse.
- (1457) Lease Ebrington in Campbell Chancellors 1373 : I wote wel they shal haue the curse of God..and also they shal haue my curse.
b
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)779 : Whil Gamelyn was outlawed had he no cors; There was no man þat for him ferde þe wors, But abbotes and priours.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)4.18 : Þe comunes curse, þat cleued on hem euere.
2.
(a) Ecclesiastical anathema or excommunication; also, a sentence of excommunication; the sentence of the gret ~, the (gret) ~, the ~, the formula read in churches four times a year, setting forth the various offenses which entailed automatic excommunication of the offender; also, the excommunication so imposed; (b) the state of being under excommunication and, hence, in mortal sin; (c) mortal sin; the gret ~; gilti in the gret ~, guilty of mortal sin.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.675 : Gif hwa hit doð, þes papa curs of Rome & ealre biscope curs he habbe!
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.655-61 : He wolde techen hym to haue noon awe In swich caas of the ercedekenes curs..Of cursyng oghte ech gilty man drede, For curs wol slee right as assoillyng sauith.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)271 : Here bigynneþ þe grete sentence of curs expouned.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)328 : Þes lawieris moten sette more priss bi a wrongful curs of a worldly prest.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Obed.Prel.(Corp-C 296)29 : Prelatis sclaundren pore prestis..þat þei wolen not obesche to here souereynes, ne dreden curs.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)111 : Curce: Excommunicatio, anathema, maledictio.
- (1440) Visit.Alnwick187 : We monysshe yowe..that..ye kepe our saide iniunccyons..vndere peyne of the grete curse.
- a1450(1410) This holy tyme make (Dgb 102)49 : That clippen money, þey haue þe curs ffoure tymes in þe ȝere.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)6635 : Genivs, That hooly prest of Dame Venus, Was..sent..to denovnce Hys curse vpon..folke that be contrarie To serve love with al her cure.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)11/22 : Whanne þi curat schewyth to þe þe artycles of þe curse, go noȝt out of þe cherche tyl þey be schewyd.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)13/13 : Be holy cherche it is ordeynid þat curatys of mannys soule owyn to schewyn iiij tymes in þe yere..to here peryschenys þe artycles of þe sentens of þe grete curs whiche þat arn most vsed.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)33/8 : Whanne a man is assoyled of þe court of Rome, or of a legat, of þe gret curse.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)30 fn. : Þe curse agaynst alle mysdoers of this churche.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)47 : He shuld constreyne hem vndur peyne of curse.
b
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)328 : Þus boþe God and goode men may lawefully comynen wiþ cursed men wittyngly, in wrongful curs and riȝtful.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)22/21 : Ȝe schul sodeynly, for ȝoure obstynate curs, sytten in helle wyth iudas.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)31/29 : Comyth out of þat curs to grace, & beth memberys of god & beth sauyd.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)138/17 : Yf he dey yn þat curs vnschryuen, he is dampnet fore euer befor God.
c
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)2/1 : Þe dedly watyr of curse entryth ȝou be ȝoure v wyttes.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)11/21 : Þou schalt be drenchyd in þe pytt of helle..ȝif þou be gylty in þe grete curs, & deye wyth-oute repentaunce!
3.
Profane cursing, blasphemy; a profane oath.
Associated quotations
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)163 : Ðe defles sed is..curs and leasinges and sware and alle swikele speches.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.CY.(Manly-Rickert)G.1405 : This lusty game..wol..maken folk for to purchasen curses Of hem that han hir good ther to ylent.
4.
(a) Evil inflicted as retributive punishment; (b) an object of punishment.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)103/144 : Wanne þou hym [God] at-wyst..Do nauȝt so..For suiche..Encresseþ here cors.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.9.11 : Al Yrael braken thi lawe..and cursse [WB(2): cursyng] droppide on vs, and wlatyngnesse.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)1384-5 : Þe cors þat he [Adam] beer alle we beeren; Þorw kuynde we hedden þe curs alle.
b
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Gal.3.13 : Crist..maad for vs curs, that is, sacrifice for curs.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1339) in Rec.B.Nottingham 1p.136 : I make this chartre with al my wille in dede, Goddes service for to ful fille; Ther fore shal he have no lesse to mede Then Goddes cours that sturbles this messe to mede.
Note: New spelling: Also..cours.
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section may be incomplete and / or may need revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED Revised form section: Also curs(s)e, curce, cors, cours.--notes per MLL