= action by which the name of a deity is invoked and asked to punish a wrong-doer; contexts in which this may happen include: (1) covenants and agreements, where the deity is asked to punish those who do not obey the terms of the agreement, (2) cases where a supposedly wrongful act has been committed, but where there is not enough certainty about the identity of the person who is responsible, and (3) in order to prevent people from committing a wrongful action, knowing that the deity's punishment will be upon them if they do so

= action by which someone or something is consigned to death, damage, or destruction, usually by invoking the name of a deity if the agent is human; this is done as punishment, out of contempt, anger, or hostility; the effectiveness of a curse partially depends on the authority of the one pronouncing it

= object of a curse uttered by other people because of the wrongful acts that one has committed