cur´er

cure «kyur», verb, cured, cur|ing, noun.

–v.t.

1. to bring back to health; make well: »

The doctor used strong medicine to cure the sick child of pneumonia. Figurative. Time cured him of his grief (Washington Irving).

2. to get rid of: »

Rest in bed will often cure a cold. Figurative. Only great determination can cure a bad habit like smoking. Figurative. What can't be cured must be endured (Robert Burton).

3. to preserve (meat, fish, hide, lumber, or other material or food), especially by drying, salting, smoking, or pickling: »

Tobacco leaves are hung in bunches to be cured before being prepared for smoking.

4. to treat (concrete) by watering or chemical means in order to develop hardness and imperviousness.

5. to vulcanize (rubber): »

The curing of rubber products by radiation has been known for a good many years (New York Herald Tribune).

–v.i.

1. to be or become cured: »

Tobacco leaves are often hung in barns to cure.

2. to bring about a cure.

–n.

1. the act or fact of curing.

2. a means of curing; treatment intended to relieve or remove disease or any bad condition: »

a rest cure, a cure for sore eyes, Figurative. a cure for laziness.

3. a medicine that is a means of curing or relieving; remedy: »

Quinine is a cure for malaria.

4. a successful medical treatment; restoration to health.

5. a) spiritual charge; religious care. b) the office or district of a curate; curacy: »

A small cure was offered me (Oliver Goldsmith).

6. a) a method or process of curing meat, fish, hide, lumber, or other material or food. b) a quantity of meat, fish, hide, lumber, or other material or food, cured at one time or in one place.

╂[< Old French curer < Latin cūrāre care for < cūra care]

–cur´er, noun.

Synonym Study transitive verb. 1, 2 Cure, heal, remedy mean to make well or right. Cure applies particularly to bringing back to health after sickness or disease: »

The new treatment cured his asthma; it cured him of asthma.

Heal means to make whole, and is used particularly of wounds, burns, or sickness: »

This medicine will heal that cut.

Remedy means to put right, and applies to curing or relieving any unhealthy physical or mental condition: »

The operation remedied his twisted foot.