The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Curse \Curse\, v. i.
   To utter imprecations or curses; to affirm or deny with
   imprecations; to swear.
   [1913 Webster]

         Then began he to curse and to swear.     --Matt. xxi.
                                                  74.
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         His spirits hear me,
         And yet I need must curse.               --Shak.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Curse \Curse\, n. [AS. curs. See Curse, v. t.]
   1. An invocation of, or prayer for, harm or injury;
      malediction.
      [1913 Webster]

            Lady, you know no rules of charity,
            Which renders good for bad, blessings for curses.
                                                  --Shak.
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   2. Evil pronounced or invoked upon another, solemnly, or in
      passion; subjection to, or sentence of, divine
      condemnation.
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            The priest shall write these curses in a book.
                                                  --Num. v. 23.
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            Curses, like chickens, come home to roost. --Old
                                                  Proverb.
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   3. The cause of great harm, evil, or misfortune; that which
      brings evil or severe affliction; torment.
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            The common curse of mankind, folly and ignorance.
                                                  --Shak.
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            All that I eat, or drink, or shall beget,
            Is propagated curse.                  --Milton.
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   The curse of Scotland (Card Playing), the nine of diamonds.


   Not worth a curse. See under Cress.

   Syn: Malediction; imprecation; execration. See Malediction.
        [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Curse \Curse\ (k?rs), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cursed (k?rst) or
   Curst; p. pr. & vb. n. Cursing.] [AS. cursian, corsian,
   perh. of Scand. origin; cf. Dan. korse to make the sign of
   the cross, Sw. korsa, fr. Dan. & Sw. kors cross, Icel kross,
   all these Scand. words coming fr. OF. crois, croiz, fr. L.
   crux cross. Cf. Cross.]
   1. To call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury
      upon; to imprecate evil upon; to execrate.
      [1913 Webster]

            Thou shalt not . . . curse the ruler of thy people.
                                                  --Ex. xxii.
                                                  28.
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            Ere sunset I'll make thee curse the deed. --Shak.
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   2. To bring great evil upon; to be the cause of serious harm
      or unhappiness to; to furnish with that which will be a
      cause of deep trouble; to afflict or injure grievously; to
      harass or torment.
      [1913 Webster]

            On impious realms and barbarous kings impose
            Thy plagues, and curse 'em with such sons as those.
                                                  --Pope.
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   To curse by bell, book, and candle. See under Bell.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

curse
    n 1: profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger;
         "expletives were deleted" [syn: curse, curse word,
         expletive, oath, swearing, swearword, cuss]
    2: an appeal to some supernatural power to inflict evil on
       someone or some group [syn: execration, condemnation,
       curse]
    3: an evil spell; "a witch put a curse on his whole family"; "he
       put the whammy on me" [syn: hex, jinx, curse, whammy]
    4: something causing misery or death; "the bane of my life"
       [syn: bane, curse, scourge, nemesis]
    5: a severe affliction [syn: curse, torment]
    v 1: utter obscenities or profanities; "The drunken men were
         cursing loudly in the street" [syn: curse, cuss,
         blaspheme, swear, imprecate]
    2: heap obscenities upon; "The taxi driver who felt he didn't
       get a high enough tip cursed the passenger"
    3: wish harm upon; invoke evil upon; "The bad witch cursed the
       child" [syn: curse, beshrew, damn, bedamn,
       anathemize, anathemise, imprecate, maledict] [ant:
       bless]
    4: exclude from a church or a religious community; "The gay
       priest was excommunicated when he married his partner" [syn:
       excommunicate, unchurch, curse] [ant: communicate]

The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

CURSE, v.t.  Energetically to belabor with a verbal slap-stick.  This
is an operation which in literature, particularly in the drama, is
commonly fatal to the victim.  Nevertheless, the liability to a
cursing is a risk that cuts but a small figure in fixing the rates of
life insurance.