cuss
UK[kʌs]US[kʌs]
v
To use swear words; to curse.
n
A person, especially a difficult or annoying one.
Etymology
The word 'cuss' is an American English colloquial alteration of the word 'curse', emerging in the early 19th century. This alteration is an example of a pronunciation shift, likely influenced by regional dialects. The original word 'curse' has Old English origins, from the verb 'cursian', meaning to invoke evil or doom upon someone. Therefore, 'cuss' carries the same core meaning of uttering profane or angry words, but with a more informal, folksy character.
Analysis
The word 'cuss' is a simplex word, derived as an alteration of the word 'curse'. It is not productively formed from separate, meaningful morphemes in modern English.
Examples
He was so angry he started to cuss loudly.
The old cuss refused to leave his porch.
I heard him cussing at the broken machine.