cur
UK[kɜː(r)]US[kɜːr]
n
A mongrel or inferior dog.
n
A contemptible or ill-bred person.
v
To growl or snarl, especially like a dog.
Etymology
The word 'cur' has a direct and onomatopoeic origin, imitating the low, threatening growl of a dog. It entered Middle English from the Old Norse verb 'kurra', which meant 'to grumble or snarl'. This auditory root gave rise to the verb 'to cur', meaning to growl. The noun form, referring first to a snarling dog and later by extension to a contemptible person, developed from this action, encapsulating the creature's character in its very sound.
Analysis
This is a simplex word. It is likely of Scandinavian origin, related to Old Norse 'kurra' meaning 'to grumble, snarl'. Its function as a noun for a dog is a back-formation from its verb sense.
Examples
The old cur barked fiercely from the end of its chain.
He was nothing but a cowardly cur.
The dog began to cur at the approaching stranger.