cur

/kə:/

Thân thiện

A stray cur trots along a dusty country road.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A cowardly and despicable person: "cur" refers to a person who is contemptible, mean-spirited, and lacking in courage.
   • An inferior dog or one of mixed breed: "cur" refers to a dog that is considered of low quality, often a mongrel or a dog of mixed and undistinguished breed.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Person):
  • He was nothing but a lying cur who betrayed his friends.
  • Only a cur would steal from a charity collection.
• Noun (Dog):
  • The old farmer's cur barked at anyone who came near the gate.
  • They found a stray cur wandering the alley, looking for food.

Advanced Usage

• Used as a term of contempt: The word "cur" is a strong, old-fashioned insult. It is used to express deep scorn and moral judgment, implying the person is not only bad but also cowardly.
  • "Stand and fight, you yellow-bellied cur!" the hero shouted.
• Descriptive use for animals: While specifically for dogs, it can sometimes be used metaphorically for other animals to imply worthlessness or a nasty temperament.
  • The mangy cur of a cat hissed from the fence.

Variants and Related Words

• Currish (adj): Having the qualities of a cur; mean, snappish, or cowardly.
  • His currish behavior made him very unpopular.

Synonyms

• For a person: Scoundrel, wretch, villain, cad, coward.
• For a dog: Mongrel, mutt, stray.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• "A surly cur": A common collocation emphasizing the dog's (or person's) bad-tempered and unfriendly nature.
  • He guarded the junkyard like a surly cur.
• "To call someone a cur": A direct and severe insult.
  • In the duel, he was called a cur for his dishonorable actions.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a cowardly and despicable person
2. an inferior dog or one of mixed breed

Từ đồng nghĩa

• mongrel
• mutt