cursively 
CUTSively (ker'siv-li), adv. In a running or 
flowing manner; in a cursive handwriting; in 
cursive characters. 
Facsimiles of the eursieely written papyri are found 
scattered in different works, some dealing specially with 
the subject. Encyc. Brit., XVIII. 149. 
cursor (ker'sor), . [NL. and ML. use of L. 
cursor, a runner, < currere, pp. curaun, run: see 
etirreut 1 .] 1. Any part of a mathematical in- 
strument that slides backward and forward 
upon another part, as the piece in an equinoc- 
tial ring-dial that slides to the day of the month, 
or the point that slides along a beam-compass, 
etc. 2. In medieval universities, a bachelor 
of theology appointed to assist a master by 
reading to the class the text of the sentences, 
with explanations of the meaning, sentence by 
sentence. See bachelor, 2. 3. [cap.] Same as 
Cursorius. 
cursqraryt (ker'so-ra-ri), a. [Extended form, 
capricious or mistaken, of cursory ; only in 
Shakspere as cited, with var. curseiiary, curse- 
lanj.] Cursory; hasty. 
I have but with a cursoranj eye 
O'er-glanc'd the articles. [A doubtful reading.] 
Shak., Hen. V., v. 2. 
Cursores (ker-so'rez), n. pi. [NL., pi. of L. cur- 
sor, a runner : see cursor.] \ . In ornith. : (t) An 
order of birds, the struthious or ratite birds, 
corresponding to the Batitce of Merrem (1813), 
or the Brevipennes of Cuvier (1817) : so called 
from the swift-footedness of most of these 
flightless birds. (6) In Sundevall's system of 
classification, the fourth cohort of Grallatores, 
composed of the plovers, bustards, cranes, rails, 
and all other wading birds not included in his 
Limicoke, Pelargi, or Herodii. Brevirostres is 
a synonym, (ct) In Illiger's system (1811), the 
fifth order of birds, uniting the struthious with 
the charadriomorphie birds: divided into Pro- 
ceri (the struthious birds), Campestres (the bus- 
tards alone), and Littorales (the plovers and 
plover-like birds). 2f. In entom., a group of 
spiders, such as the wolf-spiders (Lycosida 1 ), 
which make no webs, but capture their prey by 
swift pursuit. See Citigrada. 
Cursoria (ker-so'ri-a), n. pi. [NL., neut. pi. of 
LL. cursorius, pertaining to running: see cur- 
sory. Cf. Cursores.] 1. In Latreille's classifi- 
cation of insects, one of two prime divisions of 
Orthoptera (the other being Sanatoria), distin- 
guished by their mode of progression, and by 
having tubular instead of vesicular trachese. 
The division comprised the three leading types of Forri- 
cula, Blatta, and Mantis, being therefore equivalent to the 
modern Cursoria plus the Gressoria and Euplexoptera. 
2. A suborder of Orthoptera, containing only 
the Blattidw or cockroaches ; the Dictyoptera of 
Leach. In this restricted use of Cursoria, introduced 
by Westwood, the remainder of Latreille's Cursoria are 
called Ambulatoria (the Phaifinidte) and liaptoria (the 
Mantidce). 
cursorial (ker-so'ri-al), a. [< LL. cursorius, 
pertaining to running (see cursory), + -al.] 1. 
Fitted for running: as, the cursorial legs of a 
dog. 2. Haying limbs adapted for walking or 
running, as distinguished from other modes of 
progression : as, a cursorial isopod ; a cursorial 
orthopteran. 3. Habitually progressing by 
walking or running, as distinguished from hop- 
ping, leaping, etc.; gradient; gressorial: am- 
bulatory. Specifically 4. Of or pertaining to 
the Cursoria, Cursores, or Cursitores. 
Cursoriinae (ker-so-ri-i'ne), re. pi. [NL., < Cur- 
sorius + -ina>.] A subfamily of plover-like 
birds, the coursers, exemplified by the genus 
Cursorius. Also Cursorinae. G. E'. Gray, 1840. 
cursorily (ker'so-ri-li), adv. In a running or 
hasty manner; slightly; hastily; without close 
attention or thoroughness: as, I read the paper 
cursorily. 
cursoriness (ker'so-ri-nes), re. The quality of 
being cursory ; slightness or hastiness of view 
or examination. 
cursorious (ker-so'ri-us), a. [< LL. cursorius, 
of or pertaining to running, < L. cursor, a run- 
ner: see cursor, cursory.] In entom., adapted for 
running Cursorious legs, legs of an insect in which 
the tarsal joints are somewhat elongate, and generally 
devoid of spongy cushions or soles. The phrase is mainly 
limited to coleopterous insects, as the Carabidce 
Cursorius (ker-so'ri-us), n. [NL. (Latham, 
1790), < LL. oursortta, pertaining to running : 
see cursorioiis.] The typical genus of plover- 
like birds of the subfamily Cursoriinte, the type 
of which is the cream-colored courser, C. gal- 
licus or isabellinus, of Africa and Europe; the 
coursers proper. There are several other species, 
chiefiy African, as the black-bellied courser (C. semgalen- 
1408 
x/*), tin 1 brazen-winged courser (C. chalcoptcnix), ami tbe 
double-collared courser (C. bicinctus). Two Indian species 
are C. corotnande- 
Kcus and C. bitor- 
i/uatus. The tail is 
nearly even ; the 
tarsi are scutellate ; 
there is no hind toe ; 
and the nostrils are 
in a short fossa, not 
a long groove. The 
coursers are desert- 
birds, feed chiefly 
on insects, and lay 
rounded rather 
than pyriform eggs. 
The genus is also 
called Cursor, Ta- 
cfiydrovnux, fit/as, 
Macrotarsiu*, Ehi- 
noptilujf, and He- 
werodrmnwi. 
cursory (ker'so- 
ri), a. [< LL. 
cursorius, of or 
pertaining to 
running or to a 
Double-collared Courser 
(Crtfsurttts bicinctus). 
race-course, <L. 
cursor, a run- 
ner, racer: see 
cursor.] If. Running about ; not stationary. 
Their cursorie men. 
Proceedings again*! Garnet, sig. F (1606). 
2. In entom., adapted for running, as the feet 
of many terrestrial beetles ; cursorial. [Rare.] 
3. Hasty ; slight ; superficial ; careless ; not 
exercising or receiving close attention: as, a 
cursory reader ; a cursory view. 
It is au advantage to all narrow wisdom and narrow 
morals, that their maxims have a plausible air, and, on a 
cursory view, appear equal to first principles. They are 
light and portable. Burke, Present Discontents. 
Truth or reality is not that which lies on the surface of 
things and can be perceived by every cursory observer. 
J. Caird. 
Cursory bachelor, in medieval universities, a bachelor 
who was appointed to give cursory lectures. See bache- 
lor, 2 (b). Cursory lectures, in medieval universities, 
lectures which could be given by a bachelor. They con- 
sisted either in the reading of the text of the book form- 
ing the subject of the ordinary lectures of a given master, 
with explanations of the meaning, sentence by sentence, 
or in lectures upon subjects not included in the ordinary 
lectures, but authorized by the nation or superior faculty. 
= Syn. 3. Desultory, inattentive, passing. 
Curst (kerst), p. a. [Same as cursed (pron. as 
curst), pp. of curse 1 , v.: used familiarly with 
sinking of its literal sense: see cursed. Cf. 
wicked and damned (in its colloquial profane 
use), which show a similar development of 
meaning.] 1. Shrewish; waspish; vixenish; 
ill-tempered : applied to women. 
What is most trouble to man 
Of all thinges that be lyuingV 
A curst wyfe shortneth his lyfe. 
Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 86. 
She's a curst (mean, tell him, and plays the scold behind 
his back. B. Jotison, Poetaster, iv. 3. 
Her only fault (and that is faults enough) 
Is, that she is intolerable curst, 
And shrewd, and froward. Shnk., T. of the S., i. 2. 
2. Ill-tempered; crabbed; cantankerous; peev- 
ish ; snarling : applied to men. 
Alas, what kind of grief can thy years know? 
Hadst thou a curst master when thou went'st to school ? 
Beau, and Fl., Philaster, ii. 3. 
Though his mind 
lie ne'er so curst, his tongue is kind. Craxhaw. 
3. Vicious ; fierce ; dangerous. 
They [bears) are never curst but when they are hungry. 
Shak., W. T., iii. 3. 
4. Detestable; execrable: used as an expletive. 
What a curst hot-headed bully it is ! 
Sheridan, The Duenna, iii. 2. 
[Obsolete or archaic in all uses.] 
curstable (kers'ta-bl), n. [Origin not ascer- 
tained. ] In arch .',' a course of stones with mold- 
ings cut on them, forming a string-course. J. 
H. Parker, Glossary. 
curstfult (kerst'ful), a. [Irreg. < curst + -J'ul.] 
Petulant ; ill-natured ; waspish. 
CUTStfullyt (kerst'ful-i), adv. Cursedly; infer- 
nally. 
Was not thou most curstfully madd to sever thy selfe 
from sucn *" <>inl<le rarity ? Marston, The Fawne, iv. 
curstlyt (kerst'li), adv. Execrably ; maliciously. 
With hate the wise, with scorne the saints, 
Evermore are curstly crost. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas. 
CUTStnesst (kerst'nes), n. Ill temper; crabbed- 
ness ; cantankerousness ; snappishness. 
The mrstness of a shrew. Ur/nlfii. 
CUTSUS (ker'sus), . [ML. use of L. riirsiix. a 
course: see course*.] Eccles., the stated service 
curtain 
of daily prayer; the choir-offices or hours col- 
lectively ; the divine office. See office. 
curt (kert), . [< ME. "kurt, kurt = OS. kurt = 
OFries. kort = MD. D. kort = MLG. LG. korl = 
OHG. churz, MHG. G. kurz = Icel. kortr = Sw. 
Dan. leort =-OF. cort, court, F. court = Pr. cort 
= Sp. corto = Pg. curto = It. corto, short, curt, 
< L. curtus, docked, clipped, broken, mutilated, 
shortened; perhaps akin to E. short, whose 
place it has taken in the other Tent, languages : 
sees/sort.] 1. Short; concise; compressed. 
In Homer we find not a few of these sagacious r//,'i sen- 
tences, into which men unaccustomed with books are fond 
of compressing their experience of human life. 
Prof. Bladcie. 
2. Short and dry; tartly abrupt; brusk. 
"I know what yon are going to say," observed the gen- 
tleman in a curt, grnffish voice. 
Iiinrneli, Young Duke, v. 7. 
" Do you want anything, neighbor? " 
"Yes to be let alone," was the curt reply", with a savage 
frown. L. M. Alcott, Hospital Sketches, p. 297. 
curt. A contraction of current 1 : common in 
acct. curt., account current. 
curtailt, a. and . A corruption of curtal. Com- 
pare curtail, v. 
curtail (ker-tal'), v. t. [Cf. curtail, a. and .; 
orig. curtal, the form curtail being a corruption 
due to association with E. tail (see tail 1 ) or F. 
tailler, cut : . see taift. The accent was orig. on 
the first syllable.] 1. To cut short ; cut on the 
end or a part of ; dock ; diminish in extent or 
quantity : as, to curtail words. 
Then why should we ourselves abridge, 
And curtail our own privilege? 
5. Suiter, Hudibras. 
The debts were paid, habits reformed, 
Expense curtailed, the dowry set to grow. 
Browning, King and Book, I. 160. 
2. To deprive by excision or removal ; abate by 
deprivation or negation: as, to curtail one of 
part of his allowance, or of his proper title. 
I, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion, . . . 
Deform'd, unflnish'd. Shall., Eich. III., i. 1. 
But which of us knows among the men he meets whom 
time will dignify by curtailinif him of the " Mr.," and re- 
ducing him to a bare patronymic, as being a kind by him- 
self ? Lowell, Among my Books, 1st ser., p. 253. 
curtailedly (ker-ta'led-li), adr. In a curtailed 
manner. Latham. 
curtailer (ker-ta'ler), n. One who curtails; 
one who cuts off or shortens anything. 
To shew that the Latins had not been interpolators of the 
f Athanasian] creed, but that the Greeks had been cut-tatters. 
Waterland, Works, IV. 290. 
curtailment (ker-tal'ment), n. [< curtail + 
-ment.] The act of cutting off or down; a 
shortening ; decrease or diminution : as, the cur- 
tailmen t of expenses was demanded. 
Know ye not that in the curtailment of time by indo- 
lence and sleep there is very great trouble? 
E. W. Lam, Modem Egyptians, I. 102. 
curtail-step (ker'tal-step), n. [For curtal-step, 
< curtal, a., + step.] The first or bottom step 
of a stair, when it is finished in a curved line at 
its outer end, or the end furthest from the wall. 
curtain (ker'tan), n. [Early mod. E. also cur- 
tine, courtin, courtain, cortine, cortaine; < ME. 
curteyn, corteyn, more correctly curtyn, cortyn, 
< OF. curtine, cortine = Pr. Sp. Pg. It. cortina, 
a curtain, < ML. cortina, a small court, croft, 
curtain of a castle, a cloth screen, dim. of cor- 
tis, a court: see court, n.] 1. A hanging screen 
of a textile fabric (or rarely of leather) used to 
close an opening, as a doorway or an alcove, 
to shut out the light from a window, and for 
similar purposes. See blind, shade, 'portiere, 
lambrequin; also altar-curtain and hanging. 
Specifically (a) The large sheet of stuff used to inclose 
and conceal the stage in a theater. It is usually attached 
to a roller by its loose extremity, and is withdrawn by 
rolling it up from below. (6) Hangings of stuff used at 
the windows of inhabited rooms : sometimes fixed at top, 
and capable of being looped up below ; sometimes secured 
at top to rings which run on a rod, and therefore capable 
of being withdrawn toward the sides. 
But I look'd, and round, all round the house I beheld 
The death-white curtain drawn ; . . . 
Knew that the death-white curtain meant but sleep, 
Yet I shudder'U and thought like a fool of tin- sleep of 
death. Tennyson, Maud, xiv. 4. 
(c) Hangings used to shut in or screen a bedstead. 
T|HT beddyng wat5 nolde. 
Otcortyne* of clene sylk, wvili der _.>Mr li.'iiinn-s. 
Sir Ga'icayne ami the Green Knight (E. E. T. S.), 1. 854. 
Even snch a man, so faint, so spiritless, . . . 
Drew I'riiim s cnr/iiiji in the dead "f night, 
And would have told him half his Troy was burn'd. 
Xlmk., -2 Hen. IV., i. 1. 
Hence 2. Whatever covers or conceals like a 
curtain or hangings. 
