5 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Current means happening, being used, or being done at the present time. □ The current situation is very different to that in 1990. □ He plans to repeal a number of current policies. ● cur|rent|ly ADV [ADV before v] □ Twelve potential vaccines are currently being tested on human volunteers.
6 ADJ Ideas and customs that are current are generally accepted and used by most people. □ Current thinking suggests that toxins play only a small part in the build up of cellulite.
7 → see also alternating current , direct current SYNONYMS current ADJ 5
present: …the government's present economic difficulties.
ongoing: There is an ongoing debate on the issue.
contemporary: Only the names are ancient; the characters are modern and contemporary.
present-day: …present-day champions of the cause.
modern: …the problem of materialism in modern society.
cu r|rent ac|cou nt (current accounts )
1 N‑COUNT A current account is a personal bank account which you can take money out of at any time using your cheque book or cash card. [BRIT ] □ His current account was seriously overdrawn. in AM, use checking account 2 N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft N n] A country's current account is the difference in value between its exports and imports over a particular period of time. [BUSINESS ] □ We will probably have a small current-account surplus for this year.
cu r|rent af|fai rs N‑PLURAL If you refer to current affairs , you are referring to political events and problems in society which are discussed in newspapers, and on television and radio. □ …the BBC's current affairs programme 'Panorama'.
cu r|rent a s|sets (current assets ) N‑COUNT Current assets are assets which a company does not use on a continuous basis, such as stocks and debts, but which can be converted into cash within one year. [BUSINESS ] □ The company lists its current assets at $56.9 million.
cur|ricu|lum /kər I kjʊləm/ (curriculums or curricula /kər I kjʊlə/)
1 N‑COUNT A curriculum is all the different courses of study that are taught in a school, college, or university. □ Russian is the one compulsory foreign language on the school curriculum.
2 → see also National Curriculum
3 N‑COUNT [usu n N ] A particular curriculum is one particular course of study that is taught in a school, college, or university. □ …the history curriculum.
cur|ricu|lum vitae /kər I kjʊləm viː ta I , [AM ] -ti/ N‑SING A curriculum vitae is the same as a CV . [mainly BRIT ] in AM, use résumé
cur|ried /kʌ rid, [AM ] kɜː rid/ ADJ [ADJ n] Curried meat or vegetables have been flavoured with hot spices.
cur|ry /kʌ ri, [AM ] kɜː ri/ (curries , currying , curried )
1 N‑VAR Curry is a dish composed of meat and vegetables, or just vegetables, in a sauce containing hot spices. It is usually eaten with rice and is one of the main dishes of India. □ …vegetable curry. □ I went for a curry last night.
2 PHRASE If one person tries to curry favour with another, they do things in order to try to gain their support or co-operation. □ [+ with ] Politicians are eager to promote their 'happy family' image to curry favour with voters.
cu r|ry pow|der (curry powders ) N‑VAR Curry powder is a powder made from a mixture of spices. It is used in cooking, especially when making curry.
curse /kɜː r s/ (curses , cursing , cursed )
1 VERB If you curse , you use rude or offensive language, usually because you are angry about something. [WRITTEN ] □ [V ] I cursed and hobbled to my feet. ● N‑COUNT Curse is also a noun. □ He shot her an angry look and a curse.
2 VERB If you curse someone, you say insulting things to them because you are angry with them. □ [V n] Grandma protested, but he cursed her and rudely pushed her aside. □ [V pron-refl] He cursed himself for having been so careless.
3 VERB If you curse something, you complain angrily about it, especially using rude language. □ [V n] So we set off again, cursing the delay, towards the west.
4 N‑COUNT If you say that there is a curse on someone, you mean that there seems to be a supernatural power causing unpleasant things to happen to them. □ [+ on/upon ] Maybe there is a curse on my family.
5 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can refer to something that causes a great deal of trouble or harm as a curse . □ [+ of ] Apathy is the long-standing curse of British local democracy.
curs|ed /kɜː r st/
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ with n] If you are cursed with something, you are very unlucky in having it. □ [+ with ] Bulman was cursed with a poor memory for names.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] Someone or something that is cursed is suffering as the result of a curse. □ The whole family seemed cursed.
cur|sor /kɜː r sə r / (cursors ) N‑COUNT On a computer screen, the cursor is a small shape that indicates where anything that is typed by the user will appear. [COMPUTING ]
cur|sory /kɜː r səri/ ADJ [ADJ n] A cursory glance or examination is a brief one in which you do not pay much attention to detail. □ Burke cast a cursory glance at the menu, then flapped it shut.
curt /kɜː r t/ ADJ If you describe someone as curt , you mean that they speak or reply in a brief and rather rude way. □ Her tone of voice was curt. □ 'The matter is closed,' was the curt reply. ● curt|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ 'I'm leaving,' she said curtly.