currishadj.
/ˈkəːrɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈkərɪʃ/ 1. Of, relating to, or resembling a cur.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Canidae > dog > [adjective] > of a cur
currish1565
1565–73 T. Cooper Thesaurus Canînus, doggish, currish.
1591 J. Harington tr. L. Ariosto Orlando Furioso vi. lxiv. 46 One of this..Utters some barking words with currish sound.
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 177 The dogs of a mungrell or currish kind.
1709 London Gaz. No. 4545/4 An English Spaniel Dog..his Ears Currish.
1885 A. Christison et al. Life Sir R. Christison I. 248 Rabies is rare here..though dogs both of good breeds and currish are extremely numerous.
2. figurative. Like a cur in nature; snappish, snarling, quarrelsome; mean-spirited, base, ignoble.
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
the mind > emotion > fear > cowardice or pusillanimity > [adjective] > abjectly cowardly
recrayedc1330
recreantc1330
craven?a1400
poor1425
currishc1460
fazart1508
soulless1568
dastardly1576
beastly1584
dastard1595
low-spirited1598
peaking1611
white meata1625
cur-like1627
snivelling1647
cravenly1653
base-mettled1681
niding1755
poltroonish1801
niddering1819
turn-tail1861
turpid1867
cold-footed1944
Charley1954
c1460 in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 65 A kurresshe herte, a mouthe þat is curteise, Ful wele ye wote thei be not accordyng.
1547 R. Record Judic. Uryne A iij Those currish stomakes, which can do nothyng but barke and brall.
1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice iv. i. 289 To change this currish Iew. View more context for this quotation
1614 T. Adams Diuells Banket vi. 286 His snarling and currish inuectiues.
1705 G. Stanhope Paraphr. III. 275 Quarrelsome and currish People that bark and snarl at one another.
1820 Ld. Byron tr. L. Pulci Morgante Maggiore xxxiv Currish renegade!
1888 J. Payn Myst. Mirbridge II. xiii His currish nature prompted him to strike where no blow would be returned.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1893; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.c1460