IMPRECATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does imprecation mean? 

• IMPRECATION (noun)
  The noun IMPRECATION has 2 senses:

1. the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult)

2. a slanderous accusation

  Familiarity information: IMPRECATION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• IMPRECATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

imprecation; malediction

Context example:

he suffered the imprecations of the mob

Hypernyms ("imprecation" is a kind of...):

condemnation; curse; execration (an appeal to some supernatural power to inflict evil on someone or some group)

Derivation:

imprecate (wish harm upon; invoke evil upon)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A slanderous accusation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("imprecation" is a kind of...):

accusal; accusation (a formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person; the act of imputing blame or guilt)

 Context examples 

Growling the foulest imprecations, he crawled along the sand till he got hold of the porch and could hoist himself again upon his crutch.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

At this crowning insult the sompnour, with a face ashen with rage, raised up a quivering hand and began pouring Latin imprecations upon the angry alderman.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sometimes he commanded his countenance and tones and related the most horrible incidents with a tranquil voice, suppressing every mark of agitation; then, like a volcano bursting forth, his face would suddenly change to an expression of the wildest rage as he shrieked out imprecations on his persecutor.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

It appeared, in answer to my inquiries, that nobody had the least idea of the etymology of this terrible verb passive to be gormed; but that they all regarded it as constituting a most solemn imprecation.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The confident smile with which he had watched the opening rounds had long vanished from his lips, and his cheeks had turned of a sallow pallor, whilst his small, fierce grey eyes looked furtively from under his craggy brows, and more than once he burst into savage imprecations when Wilson was beaten to the ground.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I have myself directed some attention, during the past week, to the art of baking; and my son Wilkins has issued forth with a walking-stick and driven cattle, when permitted, by the rugged hirelings who had them in charge, to render any voluntary service in that direction—which I regret to say, for the credit of our nature, was not often; he being generally warned, with imprecations, to desist.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)