shrewishadj.
/ˈʃruːɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈʃruɪʃ/ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > ill-nature > [adjective]
shrew1297
shrewd13..
maliciousc1330
ill-disposedc1460
shrewishc1480
indisposed1481
misaffectionate1533
unsavoury1568
ill-conditioned1614
ill-natured1645
unamiable1711
malignant1785
ill-thriven1806
nasty1825
beastly1911
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > unkindness > ill-nature > [adjective]
shrew1297
shrewd13..
maliciousc1330
ill-disposedc1460
shrewishc1480
indisposed1481
unsavoury1568
ill-natured1656
unamiable1774
ill-thriven1806
nasty1825
c1480 (a1400) St. James Great 262 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 104 Þat name [sc. lupa] gaynyt hyr til, for scho wes schrewis, feloun & Il.
1481 W. Caxton tr. Myrrour of Worlde i. xiv. d j b That one shal happen to be wyse and discrete & that other folissh or shrewyssh.
1481 W. Caxton tr. Hist. Reynard Fox (1970) 23 Thowgh myn eme were twyes so bad and shrewessh.
2.
a. Of a woman: relating to or resembling a shrew; having the character or disposition of a shrew; given to or characterized by scolding.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > irascibility > ill-naturedness > ill nature in woman or shrewishness > [adjective]
shrew1297
shrewda1387
scoldinga1533
shrewish?1566
cotquean-like1581
virago1598
vixena1660
termagant1668
vixenlya1677
calleting1691
rudas1802
termagantish1823
vixenish1828
?1566 J. Phillip Commodye Pacient & Meeke Grissill sig. G.iiv Therbe a nomber liuinge that Grissills haue to name, but yet very shrewishe by naturall dispocisyon.
1577 J. Grange Garden in Golden Aphroditis sig. Riij A shrewishe tongue.
1599 T. Nashe Lenten Stuffe 47 Shee was a shrewish snappish bawd, that wold bite off a mans nose with an answere.
1603 tr. Batchelars Banquet iv. sig. D2v Not caring to prouide ought for his supper, but contrariwise taunts him with sharp and shrewish speeches.
1641 J. Jackson True Evangelical Temper iii. 225 The Mistris is a good Huswife, but of shrewish condition.
1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian vi, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. II. 144 ‘Good woman,’ said the magistrate to this shrewish supplicant,—‘tell us what it is you want, and do not interrupt the court.’
1824 W. Irving Tales of Traveller II. 42 My wife became more and more shrewish and tormenting the more I wanted comfort.
1841 C. Dickens Barnaby Rudge vii. 273 Slender and shrewish..and though not absolutely ill-looking, of a sharp and acid visage.
1891 Athenæum 3 Oct. 447/3 Her vigorous, if somewhat shrewish dismissal of the Council's envoys.
b. In wider sense: ill-natured, ill-tempered; of a sharp or cross-grained nature. Also in extended use.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > irascibility > ill-naturedness > [adjective]
stour1303
thwarta1325
elvishc1386
wrawc1386
wrawfulc1386
crabbeda1400
crousea1400
cursedc1400
doggeda1425
currishc1460
disagreeable1474
dour1488
thrawn1488
terne?1507
apirsmarta1522
crustyc1570
incommodious1570
bilious1571
mischievous-stomached1577
thrawn-faced1578
thrawn-mowit1578
wearisha1586
shrewish1596
rhubarbative1600
crabbish1606
ill-tempereda1616
cur-like1627
thrawn-faceda1628
terned1638
cross1639
splenial1641
frumpish1647
wry1649
bad-tempered1671
hot-tempered1673
sidy1673
ugly1687
ornery1692
cankerya1699
ramgunshoch1721
cantankerousc1736
frumpy1746
unhappy1756
grumpy1778
crabby1791
grumpish1797
thraw-gabbit18..
snarlish1813
cranky1821
stuntya1825
ill-natured1825
nattery1825
rantankerous1832
foul-tempered1835
cacochymical1836
as cross as two sticks1842
grumphy1846
knappy1855
carnaptious1858
cussed1858
three-cornered1863
snotty1870
sniffy1871
snorty1893
grouchy1895
scratchy1925
tight1950
stroppy1951
snitty1978
arsey1989
1596 T. Nashe Haue with you to Saffron-Walden sig. E3 Scelarata sinapis, shrewish snappish mustard, as Plautus calls it.
1816 W. Scott Antiquary II. iv. 107 He threw his coral and bells at my head for refusing him a bit of sugar—And you have too much sense to mind such a shrewish boy.
1824 M. R. Mitford Our Village I. 181 His little dog Viper,..sleek, sharp, and shrewish.
1863 R. F. Burton Wanderings W. Afr. I. 1 The shrewish gusts tore to pieces the very strongest showers.
1882 W. D. Howells in Longman's Mag. 1 43 It was a shrewish afternoon late in April... The season was very dry.
1888 R. L. Stevenson Black Arrow Prol. 8 Y' are the shrewishest old dolt in Tunstall Forest.
Derivatives
ˈshrewishly adv.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > irascibility > ill-naturedness > [adverb]
crabbedlya1420
cursedly1430
currishly1519
thrawnlya1522
crustily1578
scurvily1608
shrewishlya1616
doggedly?c1663
ungenially1858
crankily1864
ill-naturedly1865
cantankerously1868
dourly1871
grumpily1882
the mind > emotion > anger > irascibility > ill-naturedness > ill nature in woman or shrewishness > [adverb]
scoldingly1548
termagantly1686
vixenishly1848
shrewishly1855
vixenly1895
a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) i. v. 155 He is verie well-fauour'd, and he speakes verie shrewishly . View more context for this quotation
1855 J. L. Motley Rise Dutch Republic III. vi. i. 386 These and similar sins of omission and commission were sharply and shrewishly set forth in the Queen's epistle.
ˈshrewishness n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > irascibility > ill-naturedness > ill nature in woman or shrewishness > [noun]
shrewishness1600
termagancy1708
vixenishness1820
1600 W. Shakespeare Midsummer Night's Dream iii. ii. 302 I was neuer curst: I haue no gift at all in shrewishnesse . View more context for this quotation
a1661 T. Fuller Worthies (1662) Shrop. 2 How much shrewishnesse may be allowed in a Wife?
1826 M. R. Mitford Our Village II. 40 Elvira we chose for her especial gift in scolding, her natural shrewishness.
1884 H. S. Wilson Stud. Hist. 169 The hair red, the face rather pointedly oval, with an expression of some shrewishness.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.c1480