surlyadj.
/ˈsəːli/, U.S. /ˈsərli/ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > splendour > [adjective] > magnificent
lordlylOE
richc1275
prouda1300
noblec1300
gloriousc1315
reala1325
rialc1330
stouta1350
solemnc1386
royalc1400
pompousc1425
statelyc1425
lordlike1488
magnific1490
of state1498
magnificenta1530
pompatic1535
magnificala1538
princely1539
gorgeous?1542
regal1561
superbious?1566
surly1566
splendent1567
heroical1577
superbous1581
sumptuous1594
pompatical1610
pompal1616
fastidious1638
grand1673
splendid1685
grandific1727
grandiose1818
splendiferous1827
splendacious1843
magnolious1863
1566 T. Drant tr. Horace Medicinable Morall sig. Bv How he doth decke, and dighte His surlye corps in rytche aray.
a. Masterful, imperious; haughty, arrogant, supercilious. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > haughtiness or disdainfulness > [adjective]
overmoodeOE
highlyOE
overmoodOE
overmoodyOE
orgelc1175
dangerous?c1225
orgula1275
orgulousc1275
fiercec1290
hautain1297
highfulc1325
squeamousc1325
deignousc1330
digne1340
disdainousc1374
sirlya1375
lordlyc1390
high-hearteda1398
haught1430
haut1430
coppedc1449
excellentc1450
fastidious?a1475
loftyc1485
dain?1507
hichty1513
stiff-necked1526
supercilious1528
haughty1530
taunt?a1534
disdainfula1542
high in the instep1555
skeighc1560
queen-like?1571
surlyc1572
stately1579
coy1581
paughtya1586
steya1586
disdained1598
dortya1605
lordlike1605
overly1606
magnatical1608
stiff1608
surly-borne1609
high-sighted1610
lofty-minded1611
sublimed1611
patronizing1619
lording1629
sublimated1634
cavaliering1642
uncondescending1660
nose-in-the-air1673
sidy1673
fastuose1674
uncondescensive1681
condescending1707
stiff-rumped1728
fastidiose1730
cavalier1751
ogertful1754
pawky1809
supercilian1825
splendid1833
touch-me-not1852
pincé1858
high-stepping1867
eyeglassy1871
sniffy1871
cavalierly1876
snifty1889
Olympian1900
ritzy1920
mugwumpish1923
blasé1930
stiff-arsed1937
nose-high1939
c1572 I. B. in Gascoigne Posies (1575) The sauerie sappes in Gascoignes Flowers that are,..Could not content the surly for their share, Ne cause them once to yeeld him thankes therefore.
1573 G. Harvey Let.-bk. (1884) 4 I have not shoun mi self so surli towards mi inferiors.
1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. July 203 Sike syrlye shepheards. [Glosse] Surly, stately and prowde.
1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie iii. xxiv. 245 With the great personages his egals to be solemne and surly, with meaner men pleasant and popular.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) ii. v. 145 Be opposite with a kinsman, surly with seruants. View more context for this quotation
1682 J. Dryden Medall 19 The surly Commons shall respect deny.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Pastorals ix, in tr. Virgil Wks. 41 When the grim Captain in a surly Tone Cries out, pack up ye Rascals, and be gone.
1726 W. Broome in A. Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey V. xxiii. 50 Stern as the surly lion o'er his prey.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > arrogance > [adverb]
lordlya1398
statelya1450
succudrouslyc1480
insolentlya1513
arrogantly1529
imperiously1536
rufflingly1575
stuntly1581
huffingly1611
surlily1611
swaggeringly1611
controllingly1612
surlya1616
superbly1663
dictatorially1731
huffishly1755
dictatorily1788
bounceably1838
high-handedly1867
a1616 W. Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) i. iii. 21 Against the Capitoll I met a Lyon, Who glaz'd vpon me, and went surly by, Without annoying me. View more context for this quotation
1693 R. Lyde True Acct. Retaking of Ship 10 Those that carried themselves most surly towards me.
3.
a. Churlishly ill-humoured; rude and cross; ‘gloomily morose’ (Johnson). Said of persons (or animals), or their actions or attributes.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > discourtesy > [adjective] > surly
carlisha1240
churlishc1405
rustyc1485
ladlike1508
crabbed1535
chumpisha1586
curmudgeonly1590
bear-like1593
bearish1646
surly1670
gruff1691
chuffya1700
gurly1721
ramgunshoch1721
churled18..
gruffy1802
ursine1827
chuff1832
ursal1837
churly1863
1670 J. Ray Coll. Eng. Prov. 208 As surly as a butchers dog.
1677 T. Otway Cheats of Scapin i. i, in Titus & Berenice sig. F Thou art as surly, as if thou really couldst do me no good.
1723 D. Defoe Hist. Col. Jack (ed. 2) 9 Capt. Jack..a surly, ill-look'd, rough Boy, had not a Word in his Mouth that savoured either of good Manners, or good Humour.
1757 T. Smollett Reprisal i. i Commend me to the blunt sincerity of the true surly British mastiff.
1770 O. Goldsmith Deserted Village 105 Nor surly porter stands in guilty state.
1807 G. Crabbe Parish Reg. iii, in Poems 105 And surly Beggars curs'd, the ever-bolted Door.
1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. xvi. 178 A surly, grumbling manner.
1866 C. Kingsley Hereward the Wake I. xix. 349 A surly voice asked who was there.
1884 F. M. Crawford Rom. Singer (ed. 2) I. ix. 187 Dry throats make surly answers, as the proverb says.
b. as n. (quasi proper name).Apparently an isolated use.
ΚΠ
1748 T. Smollett Roderick Random I. v. 29 Well, well, old surly..thou art an honest fellow.
4. figurative from 2, 3: †‘Imperious’, stern and rough (obsolete); (of soil, etc.) obstinate, refractory, intractable; (of weather, etc.) rough and gloomy, threatening and dismal.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > types of difficulty > [adjective] > difficult or laborious
strongc1175
travailousa1382
laborousc1405
laboriousc1410
travailsome1549
laboursome1551
rigorousa1564
Herculean1594
surly1609
Augean1724
dreich1804
the world > action or operation > difficulty > types of difficulty > [adjective] > difficult or intractable (of things)
wickc1330
riotous1340
wickeda1352
untreatablec1374
frowarda1400
inobedient1495
stubborn?1518
unwieldya1538
unruly1548
wieldlessa1560
hard1560
untoward1566
tickle1570
churlish1577
unwieldsome1579
rebellious1587
disobedient1588
unframeable1593
unwilling1593
untractable1601
unmanageable1606
intractable1607
surly1609
unwedgeablea1616
dogged1627
uncontrollable1648
obdurate1651
morose1652
uncompliant1659
sullen1678
unpliant1716
ungovernable1773
sulky1867
intractile1880
unwieldly1881
bunglesome1915
the mind > will > necessity > [adjective] > absolutely compulsory > compelling or imperious
surly1609
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > bad weather > [adjective] > rough and gloomy (of weather)
surly1609
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > characteristics > [adjective] > resistant to treatment
contumace?1541
contumaced?1541
rebel?1541
wayward?1541
rebellious1565
pertinacious1578
contumacious1605
surly1609
refractory1634
sturdy1643
irreducible1836
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > earth or soil > soil qualities > [adjective] > lumpy
clotty?1523
cloddy1545
clottery1567
surly1609
crust-clung1610
glebous1671
soil-bound1688
1609 W. Shakespeare Sonnets lxxi. sig. E3v You shall heare the surly sullen bell Giue warning to the world that I am fled From this vile world. View more context for this quotation
1654 A. Tuckney Θανατοκτασία 24 Seneca according to his surly stoical principle would persuade himself..that it is ill to desire death.
a1657 G. Daniel Poems (1878) I. 69 The Lawes Of Surly fate.
1662 R. Mathews Unlearned Alchymist (new ed.) §86. 120 Surly griefs, as Sciatica and Gout in the feet.
1670 S. Wilson Lassels's Voy. Italy (new ed.) i. 63 Our horses eased vs, the ascent not being so surley as we expected.
1693 J. Evelyn tr. J. de La Quintinie Compl. Gard'ner ii. vi. vi. 195 In a surly Season.
1696 M. Prior To King after Discov. Conspiracy 70 By sounding Trumpets, mark, and surly Drums, When William to the open Vengeance comes.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics i, in tr. Virgil Wks. 54 Before the surly Clod resists the Rake. View more context for this quotation
1733 W. Ellis Chiltern & Vale Farming 11 Their surly Clay Grounds.
1786 R. Burns Poems 160 Chill November's surly blast.
1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus Poems lxiii. 16 The surly salt seas.
1881 C. Whitehead Hops 19 Where the marls on the chalk are somewhat less surly and intractable.
1901 Munsey's Mag. (U.S.) XXIV. 796/1 The straight, flat, surly clouds.
Compounds
C1. General attributive.
surly-browed adj.
ΚΠ
1614 J. Sylvester tr. J. Bertaut Panaretus 58 in Parl. Vertues Royal So (swelling proud; so, surly browd the while..).
surly-looking adj.
ΚΠ
1904 W. H. Hudson Green Mansions vii. 97 Two dogs..They were surly-looking brutes.
1954 W. Faulkner Fable 141 Followed by a thin wiry surly-looking private.
surly-sounding adj.
ΚΠ
1833 T. Hook Parson's Daughter III. i. 11 The surly sounding mandate.
C2. † surly-borne adj. Obsolete haughty in bearing or demeanour.
surly-boots n. [compare lazy-boots, sly-boots] an appellation for a surly person.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > discourtesy > [noun] > surliness > person
chuffc1440
queer cuffin1567
curmudgeon1587
cormullion1596
chuff-cat1653
sumph1682
surly-boots1710
Ursa Major1773
gruffy1802
1710 Fanatick Feast 12 Old Surly-Boots..threw off his Cloak.
1811 W. Combe Schoolmaster's Tour in Poet. Mag. Feb. 145 When Surly-boots yawn'd wide, and spoke.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > haughtiness or disdainfulness > [adjective]
overmoodeOE
highlyOE
overmoodOE
overmoodyOE
orgelc1175
dangerous?c1225
orgula1275
orgulousc1275
fiercec1290
hautain1297
highfulc1325
squeamousc1325
deignousc1330
digne1340
disdainousc1374
sirlya1375
lordlyc1390
high-hearteda1398
haught1430
haut1430
coppedc1449
excellentc1450
fastidious?a1475
loftyc1485
dain?1507
hichty1513
stiff-necked1526
supercilious1528
haughty1530
taunt?a1534
disdainfula1542
high in the instep1555
skeighc1560
queen-like?1571
surlyc1572
stately1579
coy1581
paughtya1586
steya1586
disdained1598
dortya1605
lordlike1605
overly1606
magnatical1608
stiff1608
surly-borne1609
high-sighted1610
lofty-minded1611
sublimed1611
patronizing1619
lording1629
sublimated1634
cavaliering1642
uncondescending1660
nose-in-the-air1673
sidy1673
fastuose1674
uncondescensive1681
condescending1707
stiff-rumped1728
fastidiose1730
cavalier1751
ogertful1754
pawky1809
supercilian1825
splendid1833
touch-me-not1852
pincé1858
high-stepping1867
eyeglassy1871
sniffy1871
cavalierly1876
snifty1889
Olympian1900
ritzy1920
mugwumpish1923
blasé1930
stiff-arsed1937
nose-high1939
1609 W. Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida ii. iii. 234 Vliss: If hee were proude. Diom. Or couetous of praise. Vliss. I or surly borne.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1918; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1566