Definition of cure
1a : spiritual charge : careb : pastoral charge of a parish
2a : recovery or relief from a disease Her cure was complete.b : something (such as a drug or treatment) that cures a disease Quinine is a cure for malaria.c : a course or period of treatment take the cure for alcoholismd : spa 1 one of the fashionable cures
3 : a complete or permanent solution or remedy seeking a cure for unemployment
4 : a process or method of curing
From the M-W Editors
Examples of cure in a Sentence
This is a problem that has no easy cure.
The doctors were unable to effect a cure because the disease had spread too far.
What is the origin of cure?
In Latin the noun cura had the general sense of “the care, concern, or attention given to something or someone.” It might refer to “medical care or healing.” Christians, however, used the word chiefly in regard to “the care of souls,” since that was one of their main concerns. The word passed into French as cure and then into English with this spiritual sense. The English noun curate, meaning “one who takes care of souls, a member of the clergy,” developed from this sense. Later the medical senses of cure became more common.
Origin and Etymology of cure
Middle English, “attention, effort, care, responsibility, spiritual charge, medical treatment, remedy,” borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin cūra “care, attention, spiritual charge, treatment, cure,” going back to Latin, “worry, care, attention, solicitude, treatment,” probably going back to pre-Latin *kwois-ā, derivative of an Indo-European verbal base *kweis- “heed, attend to” (whence Old Irish ad·cí “(s/he) sees,” Avestan cōišt “has fixed, determined”)
cure
Definition of cure
cured
;curing
transitive verb
1a : to restore to health, soundness, or normality cured him of a rare blood diseaseb : to bring about recovery from cure a disease
2a : to deal with in a way that eliminates or rectifies … his small size, which time would cure for him … — William Faulknerb : to free from something objectionable or harmful trying to cure him of a bad habit
3 : to prepare or alter especially by chemical or physical processing for keeping or use fish cured with salt
intransitive verb
1a : to undergo a curing process The hay is curing in the sun.b : set 11 Cement cures rapidly.
2 : to effect a cure a potion guaranteed to cure
curer
nounExamples of cure in a Sentence
The infection can be cured with antibiotics.
She was cured of any illusions she had about college after her first semester.
My wife cured me of most of my bad habits.
Origin and Etymology of cure
Middle English curen “to attend to, be responsible for, restore to health,” borrowed from Anglo-French curer, going back to Latin cūrāre “to watch over, attend, treat (sick persons), restore to health” (Medieval Latin, “to have spiritual charge of”), derivative of cūra “care, attention, treatment, cure” — more at 1cure
Origin and Etymology of curé
French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin curatus — more at curate
CURE Defined for English Language Learners
cure
playDefinition of cure for English Language Learners
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: something (such as a drug or medical treatment) that stops a disease and makes someone healthy again
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: something that ends a problem or improves a bad situation
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: the act of making someone healthy again after an illness
cure
Definition of cure for English Language Learners
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: to make (someone) healthy again after an illness
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: to stop (a disease) by using drugs or other medical treatments
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: to provide a solution for (something)
CURE Defined for Kids
Definition of cure for Students
1 : something (as a drug or medical treatment) that brings about recovery from a disease or illness : remedy a cure for colds
2 : recovery or relief from a disease His cure was complete.
3 : something that solves a problem or improves a bad situation
Word Root of cure
The Latin word cūrāre, meaning “to care,” gives us the root cur. Words from the Latin cūrāre have something to do with giving care. A cure, something that heals sickness, is something that cares for someone's health. Anything accurate has been carefully measured or supplied so that it is free from mistakes. A curator is a person who cares for the things in a museum.
Definition of cure for Students
cured
;curing
1 : to make or become healthy or sound again The doctor pronounced her cured.
2 : to bring about recovery from cure a disease
3 : to prepare by or undergo a chemical or physical process for use or storage Cure the pork in brine. The pork is curing.
4 : to provide a solution for The threat of having to repeat fifth grade cured me of bad study habits.
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of cure
1: recovery from a disease his cure was complete; also : remission of signs or symptoms of a disease especially during a prolonged period of observation a clinical cure 5-year cure of cancer—compare arrest
2: a drug, treatment, regimen, or other agency that cures a disease quinine is a cure for malaria
3: a course or period of treatment; especially : one designed to interrupt an addiction or compulsive habit or to improve general health take a cure for alcoholism an annual cure at a spa
4: spa
5maritime law : the medical care awarded a person in the merchant marine who is injured or taken sick in the course of duty
cure
Medical Definition of cure
cured
;curing
transitive verb
: heal:a: to restore to health, soundness, or normality curing her patients rapidly by new proceduresb: to bring about recovery from antibiotics cure many formerly intractable infections1
intransitive verb
: to effect a cure careful living cures more often than it kills2: to take a cure (as in a sanatorium or at a spa)
curer
nounLaw Dictionary
cure
Legal Definition of cure
cured
curing
transitive verb
: to deal with in a way that eliminates or corrects: as a : to use judicial procedures to undo (damage to a litigant's case caused by procedural errors made during a trial) subsequent proceedings cured harm caused by trial court's error in impermissibly allowing…statements of government witness — National Law Journal; also : to judicially correct or negate (procedural errors) cure a defect in the pleadings b : to correct or make acceptable (a defective performance or delivery under a contract) the nonconformity would be seasonably cured — J. J. White and R. S. Summers c : to negate (a default by a debtor in bankruptcy) by restoring the debtor and creditor to their positions before the default
intransitive verb
: to eliminate or correct a defect; especially : to correct or make acceptable a defective performance or delivery under a contract the seller may seasonably notify the buyer of his intention to cure and may then within the contract time make a conforming delivery — Uniform Commercial Code
curable
adjectivecurability
nouncure
nounLearn More about cure
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See words that rhyme with cure Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cure Spanish Central: Translation of cure Nglish: Translation of cure for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of cure for Arabic speakers
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