cure
[verb]
Synonyms:
- make better, correct, ease, heal, mend, relieve, remedy, restore
- preserve, dry, pickle, salt, smoke
[noun]
Synonyms:
- remedy, antidote, medicine, nostrum, panacea, treatment

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Related Words: doctor, medicate, restore, ameliorate, better, improve

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English Thesaurus: cure, remedy, antidote, heal, make somebody (feel) better, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. cure¹ /kjʊə $ kjʊr/ noun [countable]
[Word Family: adjective: cured, curable ≠ incurable, curative; verb: cure; noun: cure]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin cura 'care']

1. a medicine or medical treatment that makes an illness go away
cure for
There is still no cure for AIDS.

2. something that solves a problem, or improves a bad situation ⇒ solution
cure for
There is no easy cure for loneliness.

3. the act of making someone well again after an illness:
The new treatment effected a miraculous cure.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. cure² verb [transitive]
[Word Family: adjective: cured, curable ≠ incurable, curative; verb: cure; noun: cure]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: curer, from Latin curare 'to take care of, cure', from cura; ⇒ cure¹]

1. to make an illness or medical condition go away:
Many types of cancer can now be cured.
an operation that can cure short-sightedness in 15 minutes

2. to make someone well again after they have been ill ⇒ heal:
She had some acupuncture treatment which seems to have cured her.
cure somebody of something
90% of patients can be cured of the disease.

3. to solve a problem, or improve a bad situation:
Attempts to cure unemployment have so far failed.

4. cure somebody of something to make someone stop behaving in a particular way or stop them having a particular feeling or attitude:
Nothing could cure her of her impatience with Anna.

5. to preserve food, tobacco etc by drying it, hanging it in smoke, or covering it with salt:
cured ham

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

cure
noun
I. medicine/treatment that can cure an illness
ADJ. effective, instant, miracle, wonder There is no instant cure for this condition.
rest His new job was almost a rest cure after the stresses of the army.
cancer
VERB + CURE look for, seek | develop, discover, find
CURE + VERB work The cure works by boosting the body's immune system.
PREP. ~ for scientists seeking a cure for Aids
~ from He was hoping for a cure from his debilitating illness.
PHRASES no (known) cure There is no known cure for the disease.
prevention is better than cure Prevention is better than cure, so start looking after your heart now.
the search for a cure the search for a cure for the common cold

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

cure
II. return to good health
ADJ. miraculous | complete, permanent
VERB + CURE bring about, effect, provide These drugs can sometimes effect miraculous cures. (figurative) Science cannot provide a cure for all the world's problems.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

cure
verb
ADV. completely | miraculously She still believed that somehow she could be miraculously cured.
PREP. of He was now completely cured of his illness.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

cure

find/discover a cure
Scientists are still hoping to find a cure for the common cold.
develop a cure
It will be at least ten years before a cure is developed.
seek/search for/look for a cure
$3 billion a year is spent searching for a cure for cancer.
an effective cure
A few decades ago there was no effective cure for the disease.
a miracle cure (=a very effective one that cures a serious disease)
People always hope for a miracle cure.
no known cure
At present is there is no known cure for this virus.
the search for a cure
Billions of pounds have been spent on the search for a cure.
prevention is better than cure British English, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure American English (=used to say that it is better to prevent illness than to cure it)

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

cure
I.
noun
BAD: As yet, nobody has found a cure to AIDS or cancer.
GOOD: As yet, nobody has found a cure for AIDS or cancer.
BAD: The best cure of a cold is a good night's sleep.
GOOD: The best cure for a cold is a good night's sleep.

Usage Note:
a cure for a disease: 'Is there a cure for tuberculosis?'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

cure
II.
verb
1.
BAD: The wound took several weeks to cure.
GOOD: The wound took several weeks to heal.

Usage Note:
Cuts, wounds, injuries, etc heal : 'Cuts generally take longer to heal in humid climates.'

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2.
BAD: I was the doctor who cured your head injury.
GOOD: I was the doctor who treated your head injury.

Usage Note:
Doctors and nurses treat an injury, disease, sick person, etc: 'Serious burns must be treated as soon as possible.' 'The usual way of treating malaria is to give the patient large doses of quinine.' 'Some hospitals refuse to treat people who don't have medical insurance.'

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3.
BAD: Those who are seriously ill take a long time to cure.
GOOD: Those who are seriously ill take a long time to recover.

Usage Note:
When people who have been ill or injured return to their normal state of health, they recover or get better : 'Some of the flood victims are still recovering in hospital.' 'It takes a long time to recover from glandular fever.' 'Within a month of the heart attack, he had fully recovered.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

cure a medicine or medical treatment that makes an illness go away:
The scientists are trying to find a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease.
remedy a way to treat a health problem, especially a small problem such as a cold, using plants or other natural methods:
Rinsing with salt water is a good home remedy for a sore throat.
The store sells herbal remedies.
antidote a medicine that will stop the effects of a poison or dangerous drug:
There is no known antidote to a bite from this snake.
heal to cure someone - used especially when someone cures people using special religious powers, rather than using medicine. Also used when saying that a cream or treatment makes a wound better:
He claimed that he could heal the sick.
This cream is good for healing minor cuts and bruises.
make somebody (feel) better to make someone who is ill well again, especially when they have an illness that is not very serious:
The pills did make me feel better.
relieve/ease (also alleviate formal) to reduce someone’s pain or unpleasant feelings:
Aspirin will help to relieve the symptoms.
I can give you something to alleviate the pain.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

cure to make someone who has an illness completely well again or to stop a disease making someone ill - used especially about drugs or other treatments:
Many cancer victims can be cured if the disease is detected early enough.
heal to cure someone - used especially when someone cures people using special religious powers, rather than using medicine. Also used when saying that a cream or treatment makes a wound better:
He claimed that he could heal the sick.
This cream is good for healing minor cuts and bruises.
make somebody (feel) better to make someone who is ill well again, especially when they have an illness that is not very serious:
The pills did make me feel better.
relieve/ease (also alleviate formal) to reduce someone’s pain or unpleasant feelings:
Aspirin will help to relieve the symptoms.
I can give you something to alleviate the pain.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲