cure

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin cura, cure of souls, from Latin, care Date: 14th century 1. a. spiritual charge ; care b. pastoral charge of a parish 2. a. recovery or relief from a disease b. something (as a drug or treatment) that cures a disease c. a course or period of treatment <

take the cure for alcoholism

> d. spa 1 3. a complete or permanent solution or remedy <

seeking a cure for unemployment

> 4. a process or method of curing • cureless adjective II. verb (cured; curing) Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. a. to restore to health, soundness, or normality <

cure a patient of his illness

> b. to bring about recovery from <

cure a disease

> 2. a. to deal with in a way that eliminates or rectifies <

his small size, which time would cure for him — William Faulkner

> b. to free from something objectionable or harmful <

trying to cure him of a bad habit

> 3. to prepare or alter especially by chemical or physical processing for keeping or use <

fish cured with salt

> intransitive verb 1. a. to undergo a curing process b. set 11 2. to effect a cure • curer noun