U.S. colloq. or slang. [In its origin a vulgar pronunciation or attenuation of curse; but in sense 2 often used without consciousness of the origin, and perhaps with the notion that it is short for customer.]
1. An execration, etc.; see CURSE sb.
1848. Lowell, Biglow P., ix. Them Rank infidels that go agin the Scriptur’l cus o’ Shem.
1865. ‘Artemus Ward,’ His Book, 115. Not keering a tinker’s cuss.
2. Applied to persons, in the way of slight reproach or contempt, or merely humorously with no definite meaning: also to animals.
1848. Lowell, Biglow P., ii. The everlastin’ cus he stuck his one-pronged pitchfork in me. Ibid. (1866), 2nd Ser. Introd. Cuss, a sneaking, ill-natured fellow.
1883. P. Robinson, in Harper’s Mag., Oct., 706/2. The ‘horned toad’ is distinctly an ‘amoosin cuss.’
1883. H. A. Beers, in Century Mag., XXVI. 285/1. The concern is run by a lot of cusses who have failed in various branches of literature themselves.
3. Comb., as cuss-word, a profane expletive.
1872. ‘Mark Twain,’ Innoc. at Home, 20 (Farmer). He didn’t give a continental for anybody. Beg your pardon, friend, for coming so near saying a cuss-word.
1888. Detroit Free Press, 15 Sept. (Farmer). He … never asked us for a chew of tobacco … or a free puff … and he didn’t use cuss-words.
