cur

Everyday

1. (old) A cur is a dog of no special breed, especially a bad-tempered or dirty one. tree →
2. (old, insulting) Calling a man a cur means he is mean, cowardly or worthless. tree →

In the lessons

In old stories and Shakespeare-free classics, curs are snapping village dogs, and «You cur!» is a hero's insult to a villain. In The Wind in the Willows and Alice, old-fashioned insults like this make the speech sound grand or angry. In Alice, the Mouse's tale tells of a dog called Fury who is like a cruel cur.

Examples

• A mangy cur barked at the beggar. tree →
• «Out of my way, you cowardly cur!» tree →
• The village curs chased the cart. tree →
• The cur snarled and showed its teeth. tree →
• Only a cur would hit someone smaller. tree →
• Fury, the dog in the Mouse's tale, acts as judge and jury. tree →

Note

Countable: curs. Old-fashioned; today «mongrel» (mixed-breed dog). As an insult it is rude. Sounds like «cur» in «curtain» (rhymes with «fur»).