imprecation
Other forms: imprecations
If you really don't like someone you can shout out an imprecation at them. More than simply the use of bad language (although that can be involved, too), an imprecation is a damning curse wishing them nothing but ill.
Originally from a Latin word meaning to "invoke evil" or "bring down bad spirits upon." Not to be confused with implication, a similar-sounding word with the completely unrelated meaning of implying something indirectly. These are two very commonly confused words, so be careful. You don't want an imprecation blasted down upon you from someone who really cares about language.
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the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult)“he suffered the imprecations of the mob”synonyms: maledictiontype of:condemnation, curse, execrationan appeal to some supernatural power to inflict evil on someone or some group
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a slanderous accusationtype of:accusal, accusationa formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person; the act of imputing blame or guilt
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Vocabulary lists containing imprecation
In 19th-century London, orphan Oliver Twist runs away from a workhouse and takes up with a scrappy gang of thieves. Read the full text here.
In this play inspired by the Greek myth of Pygmalion, Professor Henry Higgins bets that he can transform Eliza Doolittle, a poor flower seller, into a cultured and genteel lady.
Adapted into an Oscar-winning film, this memoir tells the story of a free black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the nineteenth century. Read the full text here.