释义 |
churlish, a.|ˈtʃɜːlɪʃ| Forms: 1 ceorl-, ciorl-, cierl-, cyrl-, cirlisc, 4 cherlyssh(e, -isch, -iche, -ish, churlische, (cheerlissch), 5 cherlyche, -ysche, cherlliche, chorlissh, -ysshe, 5–6 churlisshe, -ysshe, 6 chorlyshe, -ish, 6– churlish. [OE. cierlisc, or (without umlaut) ceorlisc, f. ceorl churl + -isc, -ish. Cf. carlish.] †1. Of or relating to a churl; of the rank or position of a churl; pertaining to churls, rustic, common, vulgar, mean. Obs. (or arch.)
a1000Laws Ine 18 in Thorpe I. 114 (Bosw.) Gif cierlisc [ciorlisc MS. H, cyrlisc B] mon betyᵹen wære. c1000ælfric Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 153/33 Cibarius, ceorlisc hlaf. 1154O.E. Chron. an. 893 Sæton feawa cirlisce men. 1382Wyclif 1 Chron. xxvii. 26 To the churlische werk..and to the erthe tilieris, that wrouȝten the erth. c1386Chaucer Miller's Prol. 61 But tolde his cherlisch tale in his manere. c1440Promp. Parv. 72 Cherlyche or charlysche, rusticalis. 1867Freeman Norm. Conq. I. App. 727 Tradition asserts Godwine to have been a man of churlish birth. b. Applied to churl's mustard: see churl 7 b.
1597Gerard Herbal i. xx. §7. 210 The seeds of these churlish kindes of treacle mustarde. 2. Intentionally boorish or rude in behaviour; hard, harsh, ‘brutal’, surly, ungracious.
c1386Chaucer Frankl. T. 787 Fro his lust yet were hym leuere abyde Than doon so heigh a cherlyssh [v.r. cherlyssh, cherliche, cherles, cheerlissch] wrecchednesse. a1450Le Morte Arth. 1078 So churlysshe of maners in feld ne hale Ne know I none. c1530Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 488 The dolphyn stepte forthe..and said to the kynge: Thou foule olde churlysshe vilaine! 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. v. iv. 98 The Retort courteous..the Quip-modest..the reply Churlish. 1611Bible 1 Sam. xxv. 3 The man was churlish and euill in his doings. [Coverd., harde, and wicked in his doynges.] 1684Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 13 That which troubleth me most is my churlish carriages to him when he was under his distress. 1701De Foe Trueborn Eng. Pref., It cannot be denied but we are in many Cases, and particularly to Strangers, the churlishest People alive. 1865Livingstone Zambesi xxv. 520 We found the people more churlish than usual. b. transf. Of beasts, natural forces and agents: Violent, rough, etc. (Now only fig.)
1477Paston Lett. 794. III. 186 So that he be not chorlissh at a spore, as plungyng. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. i. 7 The Icie phange And churlish chiding of the winters winde. 1633P. Fletcher Pisc. Ecl. ii. xiii, From thence he furrow'd many a churlish sea. 1671J. Webster Metallogr. xxvi. 318 It is a strong and chirlish vomit. 1678Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. v. 689 Rude and churlish Blasts of wind. 1754Huxham in Phil. Trans. XLVIII. 857 It always proved a very churlish medicine. [Cf. churlous.] 3. Sordid, niggardly, stingy, grudging.[See note to churl n. 6.] 1566Painter Pal. Pleas. I. 99 As he liued a beastly and chorlish life euen so he required to haue his funerall done after that manner. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. iv. 80 My master is of churlish disposition, And little wreakes to finde the way to heauen By doing deeds of hospitalitie. 1682Bunyan Holy War 191 Nor was I ever so churlish as to keep the commendations of them from others. 1810Scott Lady of L. ii. xxxv, Thy churlish courtesy..Reserve. 1866Mrs. H. Wood St. Martin's Eve ii. (1874) 12 He could not offer a churlish roof to his visitors. 4. Of soil: Unkindly, stiff, hard, and difficult to work, ill repaying the husbandman's toil. Formerly also of metal: Difficult to work, intractable. Also transf. of difficulties, obstacles, etc. (Now fig.)
1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. (1586) 22 In Sommer the ground is to hard and churlishe. 1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, v. i. 16 Will you againe unknit This churlish knot of all-abhorred Warre. 1626Bacon Sylva §326 If there be Emission of spirit, the body of the Metal will be hard and Churlish. 1650Fuller Pisgah ii. xii. 250 In assigning the west border of this Tribe, we meet with a churlish difficulty in the text. 1662― Worthies (1840) I. 365 It is not churlish but good-natured metal. a1722Lisle Husb. (1752) 3 Harsh, churlish, obstinate clay. 1764Goldsm. Trav. 168 Where the black Swiss..force a churlish soil for scanty bread. 1840Dickens Barn. Rudge xli, A churlish strong-box or a prison-door. 5. Comb., as churlish-throated.
a1631Drayton Wks. III. 918 (Jodd.) The churlish-throated hounds then holding him at bay. |