accursed

/əˈkɜːsɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈkɜːrsɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈkərst -ˈkər-səd/ (ame, mw)

accursed — adjective

  • accursedpositive
  • more accursedcomparative
  • most accursedsuperlative

1. used before a noun to describe a thing or situation that makes you feel very irr

1.形容詞B2
釋義

used before a noun to describe a thing or situation that makes you feel very irritated and frustrated — for example, an accursed phone that keeps breaking down, or accursed rain that forces you to change your plans.

例句

Mei-Lin shouted at the accursed washing machine after it flooded the kitchen floor.

collocation: accursed + [household item]

This accursed traffic jam made Diego miss the start of his daughter's school concert.

同義詞
  • damned

    stronger and much more common in everyday speech; can be offensive in some contexts

  • blasted

    informal and milder; expresses annoyance without the literary feel

  • confounded

    old-fashioned, like 'accursed', but milder and more humorous in tone

反義詞
  • blessed

    contrasts annoyance with gratitude or contentment

用法筆記

Frequently placed directly before a noun in exclamatory phrases ('this accursed traffic!'). Considered dated or literary; in modern speech, English speakers more often use 'damned' or 'bloody' for the same purpose.

常見錯誤

I feel accursed today' (when meaning unlucky).
This accursed phone keeps crashing on me.
💡'accursed' is used before a noun to name the source of annoyance, not to describe your own feeling.

2. affected by a magic curse or evil spell that brings bad luck or harm — for examp

2.形容詞C1
釋義

affected by a magic curse or evil spell that brings bad luck or harm — for example, a forest said to be accursed by an angry spirit, or an object that brings misfortune to anyone who touches it.

例句

According to local legend, the ancient forest was accursed by a powerful witch centuries ago.

passive: was accursed by [someone]

The Nguyen family believed their land was accursed after three harvests failed in a row.

同義詞
  • cursed

    more common in modern English; can be used in both literal and figurative senses

  • hexed

    more informal; often found in fantasy and gaming contexts

  • jinxed

    milder; implies a streak of bad luck rather than deliberate magic

反義詞
  • blessed

    opposite meaning; protected by divine favour rather than harmed by a curse

用法筆記

Almost exclusively found in literary works, fantasy stories, and folkloric contexts. The variant form 'accurst' (pronounced /əˈkɜːst/) appears occasionally in older poetry.

常見錯誤

The witch accursed the prince' (using 'accursed' as a verb).
The prince was accursed by a witch.
💡'accursed' is an adjective, not a verb; use 'curse' as the verb instead.