cure

cure [kyoor]

n.

[OFr < L cura, care, concern, trouble < OL * coira < IE base * kois-, be concerned]

1. a healing or being healed; restoration to health or a sound condition

2. a medicine or treatment for restoring health; remedy

3. a system, method, or course of treating a disease, ailment, etc.

4. spiritual charge of persons in a particular district; care of souls

5. the work or position of a curate; curacy

6. a process for curing meat, fish, tobacco, etc.

vt.

cured, curing

1. to restore to health or a sound condition; make well; heal

2. to get rid of or counteract (an ailment, evil, bad habit, etc.)

3. to get rid of a harmful or undesirable condition in: (with of) [cured him of lying]

4.

a) to preserve (meat, fish, etc.), as by salting or smoking

b) to process (tobacco, leather, etc.), as by drying or aging

5. to encourage the proper hardening of (concrete or mortar) by regulating humidity and temperature

vi.

1. to bring about a cure

2. to undergo curing, preserving, or processing [tobacco cures in the sun]

cureless

adj.

curer

n.

SYN.- CURE and HEAL both imply a restoring to health or soundness, CURE specifically suggesting the elimination of disease, distress, evil, etc., and HEAL, the making or becoming whole of a wound, sore, etc. or, figuratively, the mending of a breach; REMEDY stresses the use of medication or a specific corrective treatment in relieving disease, injury, distress, etc.