What is a curse?

I’ve been thinking a lot about curses. In biblical literature we hear “curses” contrasted with “blessings”. In pop-culture curses are related to swear words. In animism and Disney related literature they are related to spells and witches. And yet at least one translation of the Bible says that “the curse causes-less shall not come”.

So what is a curse? As far as I can make out, it seems that a curse, is something that Stops the intended to happen.