churlish
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English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From Middle English churlysshe, cherlissh, from late Old English ċeorlisċ, ċierlisċ (“of or pertaining to churls”), equivalent to churl + -ish.
Pronunciation
[edit]- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈtʃɜːlɪʃ/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃɝːlɪʃ/
Audio (US): (file) Audio (General Australian): (file) - Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)lɪʃ
Adjective
[edit]churlish (comparative more churlish, superlative most churlish)
- Of or pertaining to a serf, peasant, or rustic.
- 1996, Jeet Heer, Gravitas, Autumn 1996
- […] the eloquence and truth of his tribute stands in marked contrast to Kramer's churlish caricature of Kael as a happy pig wallowing in the dirt.
- Synonym: rustic
- 1996, Jeet Heer, Gravitas, Autumn 1996
- Rude, surly, ungracious. [from late 14th c.]
- Synonyms: cross-grained, rude, surly, ungracious
- 1605, Francis Bacon, “The First Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, […], →OCLC, folio 11, recto:
- [A]nd it is without all controuerſie, that learning doth make the minds of men gentle, generous, maniable, and pliant to gouernment; whereas Ignorance makes them churlish[,] thwart, and mutinous; […]
- 2021 May 25, Linsey McGoey, “Why Billionaires Like Bill Gates Can’t Fix the Problems They Helped Create”, in The New York Times[1], →ISSN:
- Especially in the post-2008 recession, the need for charity was more pronounced than ever, and so it seemed churlish, even Scrooge-like, to question whether the Gateses really knew as much about solving the world’s problems as they claimed.
- Stingy or grudging.
- (of soil) Difficult to till, lacking pliancy; unmanageable.
- 1730–1774, Oliver Goldsmith, Introductory to Switzerland
- Where the bleak Swiss their stormy mansion tread,
- And force a churlish soil for scanty bread.
- 1730–1774, Oliver Goldsmith, Introductory to Switzerland
Derived terms
[edit]Related terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]of or pertaining to a serf
rude or surly
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stingy or grudging
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(of soil) difficult to till, lacking pliancy; unmanageable
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Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms suffixed with -ish
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/ɜː(ɹ)lɪʃ
- Rhymes:English/ɜː(ɹ)lɪʃ/2 syllables
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English terms with quotations
- en:Personality