surly

Meanings

• adjective

  Unfriendly, unpleasant, or sullen in disposition; having or showing an ill-tempered, uncooperative, or resentful attitude.

  - "He gave a surly response to my question."
  - "The surly waiter refused to serve us."
  - "Why be surly when you can be friendly?"

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Pronunciation

1. 
   
   
   
   Source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=93777508"

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with surly
urly , curly , furry , hurly , murly , nurly , perly , quirlly , surly , turly , urlly , whirlly

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Variants

List of all variants of surly that leads to same result
surlier , surliest , surlily , surliness , surlinesses , surly

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

Originally meaning 'swollen-tempered' or 'proud' in Old English.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The word 'surly' comes from the Old English word 'surlig', which means 'swollen-tempered' or 'proud'.

2. The term 'surly' was used in medieval Europe to describe someone who was proud or arrogant.

3. In some dialects of English, the word 'surly' can also be used as a verb to mean 'to behave in a surly manner'.

4. The word 'surly' is often used to describe the attitude of a bouncer or doorman at a nightclub or bar.

5. In the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, the character Sirius Black is described as having a surly demeanor towards those who do not know him well.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. rudeness: Rudeness is a form of disrespectful or impolite behavior towards others. Surly behavior can be considered a form of rudeness.

2. sullenness: Sullenness is a feeling of being gloomy, moody, or uncooperative. Surly behavior can be a sign of sullenness.

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

In literature, the term 'surly' has been used to describe characters with a bad attitude or a sullen disposition. For example, in Shakespeare's play 'Henry IV, Part 1', the character Sir John Falstaff is described as being 'surly' and 'unpleasant'. In music, the term 'surly' has been used in the title of songs to describe a feeling of anger or resentment.

How to Memorize "surly"

1. visualize
   

   - Visualize a person with a scowl on their face and crossing their arms over their chest. This is a common image of someone being surly.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word 'surly' with the feeling of being unfriendly or unpleasant. This can help you remember its meaning.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Use the mnemonic 'Sullen, Unfriendly, Resentful, Lonely, Yield' to remember the meaning of surly. SURLY stands for Sullen, Unfriendly, Resentful, Lonely, and Yielding.

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