Definition

1. Noun:
   • A derogatory term for a person: A "cur" is a contemptible, cowardly, or mean-spirited man. It implies a lack of courage, honor, or decency.
   • A mongrel dog: A dog of mixed breed, especially one that is considered inferior, aggressive, or unattractive.

Usage Examples

• Noun (person):
  • Hắn là một tên cur hèn nhát. (He is a cowardly cur.)
  • Đừng tin lời tên cur đó. (Don't trust that vile cur.)
• Noun (dog):
  • Con cur đó cứ sủa cả đêm. (That mongrel cur barks all night.)
  • Một con cur lạc vào sân. (A stray cur wandered into the yard.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is almost exclusively used in a figurative and insulting sense when referring to a person. Its use for a dog is now somewhat archaic or literary in English but is understood.

Variants and Related Words

• Cur-dog (n): An alternate, now rare, term for a mongrel dog.

Synonyms

• Cad: A man who behaves dishonorably.
• Scoundrel: A dishonest or unscrupulous person.
• Villain: A character whose evil actions are important to the plot.
• Mongrel: A dog of no definable type or breed.

Related Idioms

• While "cur" itself is not commonly used in modern English idioms, it appears in classic literature and older texts as a standalone insult. A related concept is:
  • To have a curlip: This is not a direct idiom with "cur," but the word contributes to the imagery of cowardice and low breeding often associated with dogs.