Course or curse?
course is a noun meaning “A sequence of events”; curse is a noun meaning “A supernatural detriment or hindrance; a bane”. In written English (wordfreq, 2021 data) course is about 23 times as common as curse.
What is the difference between course and curse?
| course | curse | |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | noun, verb, adverb | noun, verb |
| Meaning | A sequence of events A normal or customary sequence To run or flow (especially of liquids and more particularly blood) | A supernatural detriment or hindrance; a bane A prayer or imprecation that harm may befall someone To place a curse upon (a person or object) |
| Example | The normal course of events seems to be just one damned thing after another | none recorded |
| Forms | courses | curses |
| Pronunciation | /kɔːs/ /kɔɹs/ /koːɹs/ | /kɜːs/ /kɝs/ |
| In writing | 275 times per million words | 12 times per million words |
Sources: course and curse in the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Every current meaning of course and curse
course
- 1
A sequence of events
The normal course of events seems to be just one damned thing after another
- 2
To run or flow (especially of liquids and more particularly blood)
The oil coursed through the engine
- 3
colloquialEllipsis of of course
- 4
Ellipsis of of course
- 5
A normal or customary sequence
- 6
To run through or over
- 7
A programme, a chosen manner of proceeding
Doubts arose about the expediency of such a course in the present crisis
- 8
To pursue by tracking or estimating the course taken by one's prey; to follow or chase after
curse
- 1
A supernatural detriment or hindrance; a bane
- 2
To place a curse upon (a person or object)
- 3
A prayer or imprecation that harm may befall someone
- 4
To call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon; to imprecate evil upon; to execrate
- 5
The cause of great harm, evil, or misfortune; that which brings evil or severe affliction; torment
- 6
To speak or shout a vulgar curse or epithet
- 7
A vulgar epithet
- 8
To use offensive or morally inappropriate language
Source: the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); obsolete, archaic, dialect and rare senses left out.
Which is more common, course or curse?
course appears 275 times per million words; curse 12 times per million words.
course 275 times per million wordscurse 12 times per million words
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).