SURLY • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Surly

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/sˈərli/ Listen

adjective

Surly adj. (compar. surlier; superl. surliest)

Arrogant; haughty. (Obs.)

Gloomily morose; ill-natured, abrupt, and rude; severe; sour; crabbed; rough; sullen; gloomy; as, a surly groom; a surly dog; surly language; a surly look. "That surly spirit, melancholy."

Rough; dark; tempestuous. "Now softened into joy the surly storm."

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Etymology of 'Surly'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Surly" Quotes from Famous Books

... her spirit was low. The future was dismal. Toby must have thrown her over. It was in vain that her wits consoled her with the certainty that he must have missed her, that a boy who did not care about her would never have shown such surly pique as his. So great had her love become that she could not listen to such reassurance. Only the worst was convincing enough for her misery. He was gone. He was done with her. She had lost him. ...

— Coquette • Frank Swinnerton

... a mirror clear That hangs before her all the year, Shadows of the world appear. There she sees the highway near Winding down to Camelot: There the river-eddy whirls, And there the surly village-churls, And the red cloaks of market girls Pass ...

— Six Centuries of English Poetry - Tennyson to Chaucer • James Baldwin

... there, and from a gate at the top of the hill a glimpse could be caught of the river, where, too, a lovely pair of swans might be seen. Jim took a great interest in these swans, and longed to get down to the water so as to be close to them. But the gamekeeper was a surly fellow, and if he saw the children lingering near he would tell them that his master "couldn't abear boys nor girls either," and always was most severe if any people were caught trespassing on his land. Thus ...

— A Tale of the Summer Holidays • G. Mockler

... that not to know jewels when they were seen was a doubtful proof of smartness; so he answered with a somewhat surly, "How, sir?" ...

— Say and Seal, Volume I • Susan Warner

... June Deweese in the interests of peace, for Annear and his wife were both present. Once while Esther and I were missing a dance over some light refreshment, I had occasion to watch June as he and Annear danced in the same set. I thought the latter acted rather surly, though Deweese was the acme of geniality, and was apparently having the time of his life as he tripped through the mazes of the dance. Had I not known of the deadly enmity existing between them, I could never have suspected anything but friendship, he was acting the part so perfectly. But then I ...

— A Texas Matchmaker • Andy Adams

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