imprecate

• POS: Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: im=pre=cate

CIDE DICTIONARY

imprecate, v. t. [L. imprecatus, p. p. of imprecari to imprecate; pref. im- in, on + precari to pray. See Pray.].

•  To call down by prayer, as something hurtful or calamitous.  [1913 Webster]

  "Imprecate the vengeance of Heaven on the guilty empire."  [1913 Webster]
•  To invoke evil upon; to curse; to swear at.  [1913 Webster]

  "In vain we blast the ministers of Fate,
  And the forlorn physicians imprecate."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

imprecate, v.tr. (often foll. by upon) invoke, call down (evil).

Derivative

imprecatory adj.

Etymology

L imprecari (as IN-(2), precari pray)

ROGET THESAURUS

imprecate

Request

VB request, ask, beg, crave, sue, pray, petition, solicit, invite, pop the question, make bold to ask, beg leave, beg a boon, apply to, call to, put to, call upon, call for, make a request, address a request, prefer a request, put up a request, make a prayer, address a prayer, prefer a prayer, put up a prayer, make a petition, address a petition, prefer a petition, put up a petition, make application, make a requisition, ask trouble, ask one for, claim, offer up prayers, whistle for, beg hard, entreat, beseech, plead, supplicate, implore, conjure, adjure, obtest, cry to, kneel to, appeal to, invoke, evoke, impetrate, imprecate, ply, press, urge, beset, importune, dun, tax, clamor for, cry aloud, cry for help, fall on one's knees, throw oneself at the feet of, come down on one's marrowbones, beg from door to door, send the hat round, go a begging, mendicate, mump, cadge, beg one's bread, dance attendance on, besiege, knock at the door, bespeak, canvass, tout, make interest, court, seek, bid for, publish the banns.

Malediction

VB curse, accurse, imprecate, damn, swear at, curse with bell book and candle, invoke curses on the head of, call down curses on the head of, devote to destruction, execrate, beshrew, scold, anathematize, bold up to execration, denounce, proscribe, excommunicate, fulminate, thunder against, threaten, curse and swear, swear, swear like a trooper, fall a cursing, rap out an oath, damn.