cure

cure¹ [kjuə US kjur] n

[Date: 1200-1300; : Old French; Origin: Latin cura 'care']

1.) a medicine or medical treatment that makes an illness go away

cure for

▪ There is still no cure for AIDS.

2.) something that solves a problem, or improves a bad situation

→↑solution cure for

▪ There is no easy cure for loneliness.

3.) the act of making someone well again after an illness

▪ The new treatment effected a miraculous cure.

cure ²

cure² v [T]

[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: curer, from Latin curare 'to take care of, cure', from cura; CURE¹]

1.) to make an illness or medical condition go away

▪ Many types of cancer can now be cured.

▪ an operation that can cure short-sightedness in 15 minutes

2.) to make someone well again after they have been ill

→↑heal

▪ She had some acupuncture treatment which seems to have cured her.

cure sb of sth

▪ 90% of patients can be cured of the disease.

3.) to solve a problem, or improve a bad situation

▪ Attempts to cure unemployment have so far failed.

4.) cure sb of sth

to make someone stop behaving in a particular way or stop them having a particular feeling or attitude

▪ Nothing could cure her of her impatience with Anna.

5.) to preserve food, tobacco etc by drying it, hanging it in smoke, or covering it with salt

▪ cured ham