accursed

• (obsolete) accurst [13^th C.]

• First attested in the early 13th century.
• From Middle English acursed, from acursen (“to curse”), from Old English ācursian, from ā + cursen, from curs (“curse”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /əˈkɜː.sɪd/
• (US) IPA^(key): /əˈkɝ.sɪd/

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accursed (comparative more accursed, superlative most accursed)

1. (prenominal) Hateful; detestable, loathsome.
   • ca. 1789, William Blake, "Tiriel",

     Accursed race of Tiriel. behold your father // Come forth & look on her that bore you. come you accursed sons.

   • 1819, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, Chapter 35,

     Lo! they are charged with studying the accursed cabalistical secrets of the Jews, and the magic of the Paynim Saracens.

   • 1885, Richard F. Burton, The Supplemental Nights to the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 532:

     […] Alaeddin ate and drank and was cheered and after he had rested and had recovered spirits he cried, "Ah, O my mother, I have a sore grievance against thee for leaving me to that accursed wight who strave to compass my destruction and designed to take my life. Know that I beheld Death with mine own eyes at the hand of this damned wretch, whom thou didst certify to be my uncle; […]

2. (archaic, theology) Doomed to destruction or misery; cursed; anathematized.
   • 1885, Charles Abel Heurtley (translator), The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins, Chapter 8,

     […] —if any one, be he who he may, attempt to alter the faith once for all delivered, let him be accursed.

   • 1912, Fyodor Dostoevsky, translated by Constance Garnett, The Brothers Karamazov, Book III, Chapter 7,

     For at the very moment I become accursed, at that same highest moment, I become exactly like a heathen […]

   • 1955, J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 10

     We did not come here to waste words in treating with Sauron, faithless and accursed; still less with one of his slaves. Begone!

• (hateful, detestable): execrable, damnable

• accursedly
• accursedness

accursed

1. simple past tense and past participle of accurse

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