imprecate
verb
im·pre·cate ˈim-pri-ˌkāt 
imprecated; imprecating
transitive verb
: to invoke evil on : curse
intransitive verb
: to utter curses
Did you know?
It may surprise you to learn that a word that refers to wishing evil upon someone has its roots in praying, but imprecate ultimately derives from the Latin verb precari, meaning "to pray, ask, or entreat." Precari is also the ancestor of such English words as deprecate (which once meant "to pray against an evil," though that sense is now archaic), precatory ("expressing a wish") and even pray itself (which has deeper roots in the Latin noun for a request or entreaty, prex).
Synonyms
- anathematize
- beshrew [archaic]
- curse
- maledict
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
with her dying breath the witch imprecated the villagers for their relentless persecution of her
Word History
Etymology
Latin imprecatus, past participle of imprecari, from in- + precari to pray — more at pray
First Known Use
1613, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
imprecations
noun
as in curses
a prayer that harm will come to someone the defiant prisoner continued to hurl imprecations and insults at the guards Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- curses
- maledictions
- execrations
- condemnations
- anathemas
- denunciations
- bans
- censures
- damnations
- malisons
- winzes
- spells
- excommunications
- voodoos
- jinxes
- hoodoos
- pox
- poxes
- whammies
- mojos
- hexes
- mojoes
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- benedictions
- blessings
- indorsements
- commendations
- citations
- endorsements
- benisons
- abstemious
- abstemiously
- abstemiousness
- abstemiousnesses
- abstention
- abstentionists
- abstentions
- abstentious
- absterge
- absterged
- abstergents
- absterges
- absterging
- abstersion
- abstersions
- abstersive
- abstinence
- abstinence syndrome
- abstinence theory
- abstinences
- abstinency
- abstinent
- abstinently
- abstinents
- abstr