brutaladj.n.
/ˈbruːtəl/ A. adj.
1. Of or belonging to the brutes, as opposed to man; of the nature of a brute; animal. Obsolete or archaic.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > [adjective] > of or belonging to
bestiala1393
brutal?a1500
bestially1532
animalica1676
zoo-organic1821
a1500 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Fables: Lion & Mouse l. 1400 in Poems (1981) 56 Vnder the figure off ane brutall beist.
1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) II. 228 Lyke brutell beistis takand thair desyre.
1651 T. Hobbes Philos. Rudim. v. §5. 78 The consent of those brutall creatures is naturall, that of men by compact only.
1704 J. Trapp Abra-Mule iv. i. 1499 Hid their dazzling Forms in Brutal Shapes.
a1732 J. Gay Fables (1738) II. xv. 142 On man we brutal slaves depend.
1838 G. S. Faber Inq. Hist. & Theol. Anc. Vallenses & Albigenses 95 The angel..daily infuses them into human and brutal bodies.
2. Resembling, pertaining to, or characteristic of the brutes:
a. in want of intelligence or reasoning power.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intellect > want of intellect > animal nature of man > [adjective]
beastly?c1225
bestiala1398
brutal?1518
brute1535
brutish1555
animal1581
beaverish1850
beaver-like1873
?1518 A. Barclay tr. D. Mancinus Myrrour Good Maners sig. Aviv It is a brutall fury, in batayle for to fyght.
1542 T. Becon Newes out of Heauen sig. F.vv He is truly to much brutal, that reioyseth not at the hearyng of them [sc. the news].
a1718 W. Penn Maxims in Wks. (1726) I. 828 Inquiry is Human; Blind Obedience, Brutal.
1722 D. Defoe Jrnl. Plague Year 106 A Sort of brutal Courage..founded neither on Religion or Prudence.
1827 B. Disraeli Vivian Grey III. v. iv. 80 The students affected a sort of brutal surprise.
b. in their animal or sensual nature.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > physical sensibility > sensuous pleasure > sensuality > [adjective] > animal nature in man
beastlyc1225
beastisha1398
bestiala1398
beast-like1526
brutala1533
brutish1567
animal1581
doggish1594
belluine1618
ferine1640
animalizing1825
animalized1827
a1533 Ld. Berners tr. A. de Guevara Golden Bk. M. Aurelius (1535) xxiii. f. 39v These lawes of the Lacedemoniens..dothe mocke thy brutall vyces.
c1550 in J. G. Dalyell Scotish Poems 16th Cent. (1801) II. 193 The parish priest, that brutall beist, He polit them wantonly.
1725 E. Fenton in A. Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey I. i. 175 The Suitor-train, a brutal crowd, With insolence and wine, elate and loud.
1749 T. Smollett Regicide v. iii. 69 The Slaves of brutal Appetite.
1878 J. Morley Diderot II. 13 Some of it is revolting in its brutal indecency.
3. As rude or ill-mannered as a brute beast; coarse, unrefined.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > [adjective] > ill-mannered > unrefined
boistousc1300
untheweda1325
uplandisha1387
unaffiled1390
rudea1393
knavishc1405
peoplisha1425
clubbedc1440
blunt1477
lob?1507
robust1511
borel1513
carterly1519
clubbish1530
rough?1531
rustical?1532
incondite1539
agrestc1550
rusticc1550
brute1555
lobcocka1556
loutisha1556
carterlike1561
boorish1562
ruggedc1565
lobbish1567
loutlike1567
sowish1570
clownish1581
unrefined1582
impolished1583
homespun1590
transalpinea1592
swaddish1593
unpolished1594
untutored1595
swabberly1596
tartarous1602
porterly1603
lobcocked1606
lob-like1606
cluster-fisted1611
agrestic1617
inurbane1623
unelevated1627
incult1628
unbrushed1640
vulgar1643
unhewed1644
unsmooth1648
hirsute1658
loutardly1658
unhewn1659
roughsome?c1660
sordid1668
inhumanea1680
coarse1699
brutal1709
ramgunshoch1721
tramontane1740
uncouth1740
no-nationa1756
unurbane1760
turnipy1792
rudas1802
common1804
cubbish1819
clodhopping1828
vulgarian1833
cloddish1844
unkempt1846
bush1851
vulgarish1860
rodney1866
crude1876
ignorant1886
yobby1910
nekulturny1932
oikish1959
yobbish1966
ocker1972
down and dirty1977
1709 Ld. Shaftesbury Sensus Communis: Ess. Freedom of Wit 94 A Man of thorow Good-Breeding..is incapable of doing a rude or brutal Action.
1742 Ld. Chesterfield Lett. (1932) (modernized text) II. 524 There is hardly anybody brutal enough..not to say, Sir, my Lord, or Madam.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 196 His [Tyrconnel's] brutal manners made him unfit to represent the majesty of the crown.
4. Inhuman; coarsely cruel, savage, fierce.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > savagery > [adjective]
grimlyc893
retheeOE
grim971
bitterOE
bremec1175
grillc1175
grimfula1240
cruel1297
sturdy1297
fiercea1300
fellc1300
boistousa1387
felonousc1386
savagea1393
bestiala1398
bremelya1400
felona1400
hetera1400
cursedc1400
wicked14..
vengeablec1430
wolvishc1430
unnatural?1473
inhuman1481
brutisha1513
cruent1524
felonish1530
mannish1530
abominate1531
lionish1549
boarish?1550
truculent?c1550
unhumanc1550
lion-like1556
beastly1558
orped1567
raw?1573
tigerish?1573
unmanlike1579
boisterous1581
savaged1583
tiger-like1587
yond1590
truculental1593
savage wild1595
tigerous1597
inhumane1598
Neronian1598
immane1599
Phalarical1602
ungentle1603
feral1604
savagious1605
fierceful1607
Dionysian1608
wolvy1611
Hunnish1625
lionly1631
tigerly1633
savage-hearted1639
brutal1641
feroce1641
ferocious1646
asperous1650
ferousa1652
wolfish1674
tiger1763
savage-fierce1770
Tartar1809
Tartarly1821
Neroic1851
tigery1859
Neronic1864
unmannish1867
inhumanitarian1947
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > ill-treatment > cruelty > [adjective] > inhumanly
inhuman1481
unhumanc1550
beastly1558
unmanlike1579
inhumane1598
immane1599
Phalarical1602
unhuman1611
brutal1641
unmannish1867
brutalitarian1904
inhumanitarian1947
1641 J. Jackson True Evangelical Temper i. 5 It purporteth..the turning of fierce and brutall men..unto..calme and sociable manners.
1735 J. Thomson Rome: 3rd Pt. Liberty 430 Brutal Marius and keen Sylla.
1836 C. Thirlwall Hist. Greece II. xi. 53 The cruelty of a brutal master.
1840 W. Howitt Visits to Remarkable Places 1st Ser. 237 The brutal amusements of the bull-baiting or the cock-pit.
1878 J. Morley Crit. Misc. 1st Ser. 268 The cruel and brutal abominations of slavery.
A brutal person. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > savagery > savage person > [noun]
wolfa900
liona1225
beastc1225
wild manc1290
tiger?a1513
Turk1536
club-fist1575
scourgemutton1581
wolver1593
vulture1605
savage1609
inhuman1653
brutal1655
Tartar1669
hyena1671
dragoon1712
Huna1744
panther1822
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > ill-treatment > cruelty > [noun] > inhuman > person
beastc1225
inhuman1653
brutal1655
brute1752
1655 J. Jennings tr. J.-P. Camus Elise 104 Should you have tormented me so much, to make me hearken to this Brutal?
1663 A. Cowley Cutter of Coleman-St. Pref. sig. A4v The Honour of their Judgment (as some Brutals imagine of their Courage) consists in Quarrelling with every thing.
1676 W. Wycherley Plain-dealer i. i The world thinks you a Mad-man, a Brutal.
Draft additions March 2008
a. hyperbolical. Extremely difficult or demanding.
ΚΠ
1915 S. R. Hall Writing Advertisem. xvi. 183 [Mail-order and direct] advertising is put to the brutal tests of the coupon, the key, and the return card.
1936 Times 1 May 6/1 He holed several putts, one of them a really brutal one.
1988 Los Angeles Times (Electronic ed.) 23 Sept. iii. 5 Two-man keelboats that are so brutal to sail they've earned the nickname ‘torture racks’.
b. colloquial (originally and chiefly North American). Very bad or unpleasant; awful.
ΚΠ
1947 Oelwein (Iowa) Daily Reg. 26 July 8/3 The large ‘economy’ size..is recommended for those with really brutal hangovers.
1967 Independent Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Calif.) 8 Jan. s3/1 I carry the puck pretty well some nights, but other nights I'm just brutal.
1988 R. Salutin Man of Little Faith iii. 66 Their first date was brutal. When not scoffing at her artistic interests he ignored her.
2004 Globe & Mail (Toronto) (Nexis) 15 May l3 White wines on the other hand are just brutal..if they are cheap.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1888; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.?a1500