Forms: (3 kur-dogge), 4–6 kurre, 4–7 curre, 7–8 curr, 5– cur. [ME. curre corresponds to MDu. corre ‘canis villaticus, domesticus’ (Kilian), Sw. and Norw. (widely spread) dial. kurre, korre ‘dog,’ etc. The latter is generally associated with the onomatopœic verb ON. kurra to murmur, grumble, Sw. kurra to grumble, rumble, snarl, Da. kurre to coo, Ger. obs. and dial. kurren to growl, grumble, murmur, coo, cf. gurren to coo, MHG. gürren to bray as an ass. The primary sense appears thus to have been ‘growling or snarling beast.’ But no corresponding verb appears in Eng., so that ME. kurre was prob. introduced from some continental source. The combination kur-dogge is met with considerably earlier than the simple kurre, cur. Senses 2 and 3 are possibly independent echoic formations.]
1. A dog: now always depreciative or contemptuous; a worthless, low-bred or snappish dog. Formerly (and still sometimes dialectally) applied without depreciation, esp. to a watch-dog or shepherd’s dog.
a. 1225. [see CUR-DOG in c].
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 396. The lyoun … Hym deynyth nat to wreke hym on a flye, As doth a curre or ellis a-nothir beste.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1972. Brittonet þi body into bare qwarters, And caste vnto curres as caren to ete.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, F vj b. A Cowardnes of curris.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Sept., 182. Neuer had shepheard so kene a kurre.
1598. Manwood, Forest Lawes, xvi. § 6 (1615), 112 b. The Mastiues, and such like curres, that are of the Mastiue kinde.
1602. 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass., II. v. (Arb.), 30. Dunghill dogges, trindle tailes, prick-eard curres.
1684. R. H., Sch. Recreat., 13. The most Staunch and best Hunting Hounds; (all babling and flying Curs being left at home).
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 536. The Shepherd last appears, And with him … his trusty Cur.
1710. Philips, Pastorals, iv. 119. Then send our Curs to gather up the Sheep.
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull, III. App. i. I am hunted away … by every barking cur about the house.
1837. W. Irving, Capt. Bonneville, II. 208. These dogs … were of more use than the beggarly curs of cities.
1884. Cheshire Gloss., Cur, a good, sharp watchdog. The word does not refer, in the least, to low breeding.
b. fig. As a term of contempt: a surly, ill-bred, low or cowardly fellow.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., III. ii. 65. Out dog, out cur, thou driu’st me past the bounds of maidens patience. Ibid. (1607), Cor., I. i. 172. What would you have, you Curres, That like nor Peace, nor Warre?
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 57, ¶ 3. I have heard her, in her Wrath, call a substantial Tradesman a Lousy Cur.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, I. VIII. 263. That I may drive away These curs, brought hither by an evil fate.
c. Comb. Cur-dog in prec. senses.
So cur-bitch, -fox, -tyke; † cur-fish, the Dog-fish. Also cur-like adj.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 290. Þes dogge of helle … þe fule kur dogge.
c. 1450. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 562/23. Agerarius, a curdogge.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. ccxxxi. 263. A mastife or great curre dogge.
1591. Spenser, M. Hubberd, 294. This Curdog … will serue, my sheepe to gather.
1617. Fletcher, Mad Lover, III. ii. Coward go with thy caitiff soul, thou cur-dog!
1727. Hall, in Phil. Trans., XXXV. 309. We got three Curr-Dogs.
1859. W. Collins, Q. of Hearts (1875), 24. One of the largest and ugliest cur-dogs in England … barking at her heels.
1611. Cotgr., Mastine, a Mastiue, or Curre bitch.
1663. Earl of Lauderdale, in L. Papers, I. 175. I care not three skips of a Curre tyke what can be said or done against me.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Currish, curr-like, doggish, churlish.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), III. 332. The greyhound fox…. The mastiff fox…. The cur fox is the least and most common.
† 2. A fish: the Elleck or Red Gurnard, Trigla cuculus.
1589. Rider, Eng.-Lat. Dict. (1617), E e viij. Fishes. A curre fish, Cuculus.
1598. Florio, Capo … a fish called a cur, a gull, a bulhead, or a millers thumbe.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., 194. Curre is a sweet fish, but not the best, it hath much flesh, white, hard and dry.
1753. in Chambers, Cycl. Supp.
3. A species of duck: the Golden-eye, Clangula glaucion. dial.
1621–51. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. II. i. 67. Teals, Curs, Sheldrakes … that come hither in winter.
1841. J. T. Hewlett, Parish Clerk, III. 8. Harry drew his attention to a solitary cur—a species of duck more easily approachable than the others.
1885. Swainson, Prov. Names Birds, 161. Golden-eye … Curre. From the bird’s croaking cry.
Cur, obs. f. CURE; var. of CURRE.
