noun
cur
KUR/kɜːr/
A dog regarded as inferior or worthless.
The scruffy cur stands alone with uneven ears and a wiry coat.
Etymology
Probably connected with a verb meaning “growl,” cur began as a disparaging term for a dog. That contempt extended to a surly, low-bred person.
In context
But, you infernal cur, you did not know that those who attempt to thwart Xavier Oberg either die by accident or go for life to Kajana or the mines!
More examples
- She refuses to let anyone dismiss her beloved dog as a cur.
- The owner prizes his hunting hounds but calls every stray a cur.
- Those dogs are not worthless curs; they deserve care.
Forms
cur · curs
Similar words
- mongrel
- Describes a dog of mixed ancestry, not necessarily an inferior dog.
- mutt
- Informally names a mixed-breed dog, often with affection.