Of or pertaining to a carl or carls; churlish, clownish, vulgar, coarse; rude, mean.

Intentionally boorish or rude in behaviour; hard, harsh, ‘brutal’, surly, ungracious.

Of a person, behaviour, demeanour, etc.: lacking polish or refinement; rough, uncultured; surly, churlish; morose. Now rare.

Resembling a lad; in quots. †churlish, unknightly (cf. lad, n.1 1).

In later use: Cross-tempered, ill-conditioned, irritable, acrimonious, churlish; having asperity or acerbity of temper. Since 16th cent. a frequent…

Blockish, sullen.

Of the nature of, or characteristic of, a curmudgeon; miserly, niggardly, churlish.

Resembling or suggestive of a bear in appearance, manner, or behaviour.

Esp. of a man. Resembling a bear in manner or temper; fierce, vicious; rude, uncouth; surly, grouchy.

Churlishly ill-humoured; rude and cross; ‘gloomily morose’ (Johnson). Said of persons (or animals), or their actions or attributes.

Rough, surly, or sour in aspect or manner; said also of appearances.

Clownish, churlish, rude, surly, morose.

Surly, cross, ill-humoured.

Harsh, ill-tempered; rude, surly, boorish.

Made a churl or churlish.

A nickname for a gruff person, a ‘cross patch’.

Suggestive of that or those of a bear; bear-like. Also transferred (cf. bearish, adj. 3).

Surly, churlish; gruff, stern, morose.

Resembling a bear in disposition or characteristic features; hence figurative, bearish. (Cf. ursine, adj. 3.)

Churlish, rough, surly.