Word: imprecation (noun)

Associations

"Imprecation" means a spoken curse or a wish for something bad to happen to someone. It is a formal or old-fashioned word often used in literature or serious speech.

• Example 1: The angry man shouted an imprecation at the thief who stole his wallet. (Here, "imprecation" means a curse or bad wish expressed loudly.)
• Example 2: In the play, the character utters an imprecation that brings bad luck to the kingdom. (Used in stories or plays to show a curse.)
• Example 3: She whispered imprecations under her breath after the accident. (Quietly saying curses or bad wishes.)

Synonym: "curse" is a common synonym. The difference is that "imprecation" is more formal and literary, while "curse" is used more in everyday speech.

Substitution

You can replace "imprecation" with:

• curse (more common and informal)
• malediction (very formal, also means curse)
• anathema (stronger, often means something or someone hated or cursed) Changing the word changes the tone: "imprecation" sounds serious and old-fashioned, "curse" is simple and everyday.

Deconstruction

"Imprecation" comes from Latin:

• prefix "im-" means "upon"
• root "precari" means "to pray" or "to beg" So originally, "imprecation" means "to pray evil upon someone," that is, to call down a curse.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when someone might say an imprecation in a story or real life?
• How is "imprecation" different from just being angry or upset?
• Have you ever heard curses or bad wishes in movies or books? How did they make you feel?