incurable

Everyday

1. An incurable illness cannot be cured: doctors cannot make it go away, though they may help the person feel better. tree →
2. An incurable habit or quality is so strong that it will never change: an incurable optimist always hopes for the best. tree →

In the lessons

In health and science lessons and in family life: «an incurable disease», «sadly, the illness is incurable». Used kindly and humorously about character: «an incurable chatterbox», «an incurable romantic». It tells the reader something cannot be fixed or changed.

Examples

• The vet said the old dog's illness was incurable. tree →
• Grandad has an incurable disease, but medicine helps him feel comfortable. tree →
• My sister is an incurable chatterbox. tree →
• Scientists are working hard to find treatments for incurable illnesses. tree →
• Dad is an incurable optimist about the weather. tree →
• Some illnesses that were once incurable can now be cured. tree →
• She was incurably curious about everything. tree →
• Meanwhile, the wound of Telephus proving incurable, he consulted an oracle, and the response was, that he alone who had inflicted the wound possessed the power of curing it. tree →

Note

in- + cure + -able = cannot be cured. «Incurable» does not always mean deadly: many incurable conditions, like some allergies, can be managed for life. Opposite: curable.

In Jewish tradition

It describes wounds and diseases that no one can heal, as in Jeremiah's picture of Israel's hurt.

Interpretation. Jeremiah's words are followed by God's promise to heal, so tradition reads even incurable pain as something God may still restore.

Examples

• Why criest thou for thy hurt, that thy pain is incurable? (Prophets JER.30.15, JPS 1917) tree →
• For thus saith the LORD: Thy hurt is incurable, and thy wound is grievous. (Prophets JER.30.12, JPS 1917) tree →
• And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. (Writings 2CH.21.18, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

in- + cure + -able = cannot be cured. «Incurable» does not always mean deadly: many incurable conditions, like some allergies, can be managed for life. Opposite: curable.