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A fortune teller; one who pretends to reveal mysteries. [Obs.] Hudibras.

The cause of great harm, evil, or misfortune; that which brings evil or severe affliction; torment. The common curse of mankind, folly and ignorance. Shak. All that I eat, or drink, or shall beget, Is propagated curse. Milton. The curse of Scotland (Card Playing), the nine of diamonds. -- Not worth a curse. See under…

One of a race of giants, sons of Neptune and Amphitrite, having but one eye, and that in the middle of the forehead. They were fabled to inhabit Sicily, and to assist in the workshops of Vulcan, under Mt. Etna.

for want of a friend to tell them of them, to the great damage both of their fame and fortune. Bacon.

A tune by which dancing is regulated, as the minuet, the waltz, the cotillon, etc.

fail; to become weak, corrupt, or disintegrated; to rot; to perish; as, a tree decays; fortunes decay; hopes decay. Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay. Goldsmith.

ondition; affected with decay; rotten; as, decayed vegetation or vegetables; a decayed fortune or gentleman. -- De*cay"ed*ness, n.

t; hence, respectable; fairly good; reasonably comfortable or satisfying; as, a decent fortune; a decent person. A decent retreat in the mutability of human affairs. Burke. -- De"cent*ly, adv. -- De"cent*ness, n.

he deeps of knowledge springs. Cowley. The hollow deep of hell resounded. Milton. Blue Neptune storms, the bellowing deeps resound. Pope.

Lowness of spirits occasioned by grief or misfortune; mental depression; melancholy. What besides, Of sorrow, and dejection, and despair, Our frailty can sustain, thy tidings bring. Milton.

able; past cure, or, at least, extremely dangerous; as, a desperate disease; desperate fortune.

em which despitefully use you. Matt. v. 44. Let us examine him with despitefulness and fortune. Book of Wisdom ii. 19.

e for; to purpose to obtain. For wisdom is most riches; fools therefore They are which fortunes do by vows devise. Spenser.

Same as Diapason. [Obs.] A tuneful diapase of pleasures. Spenser.

Misfortune; mishap. [Obs.] Sir W. Raleigh.

An adverse or unfortunate event, esp. a sudden and extraordinary misfortune; a calamity; a serious mishap. But noble souls, through dust and heat, Rise from disaster and defeat The stronger. Longfellow.

Misfortune. [Obs.] Spenser.

Severe training, corrective of faults; instruction by means of misfortune, suffering, punishment, etc. A sharp discipline of half a century had sufficed to educate Macaulay.

gn to a use; to bestow for an object or purpose; to apply; to employ; to dispose of. Importuned him that what he designed to bestow on her funeral, he would rather dispose among the poor. Evelyn.

ns; to displease by the want of something requisite; as, to be dissatisfied with one's fortune. The dissatisfied factions of the autocracy. Bancroft.