different between churlish vs fierce

English

Etymology

From Middle English churlysshe, cherlissh, from late Old English ?eorlis?, ?ierlis? (“of or pertaining to churls”), equivalent to churl +? -ish.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?t???l??/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?t???l??/
• Rhymes: -??(r)l??

Adjective

churlish (comparative more churlish, superlative most churlish)

1. Of or pertaining to a serf, peasant, or rustic.
   • 1996, Jeet Heer, Gravitas, Autumn 1996

     […] the eloquence and truth of his tribute stands in marked contrast to Kramer's churlish caricature of Kael as a happy pig wallowing in the dirt.

   Synonym: rustic

2. Rude, surly, ungracious. [from late 14th c.]

   Synonyms: cross-grained, rude, surly, ungracious
3. Stingy or grudging.

   Synonyms: grudging, illiberal, miserly, niggardly, stingy

4. (of soil) Difficult to till, lacking pliancy; unmanageable.
   • 1730–1774, Oliver Goldsmith, Introductory to Switzerland

     Where the bleak Swiss their stormy mansion tread,

     And force a churlish soil for scanty bread.

Related terms

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English fers, fiers, borrowed from Old French fers (“wild", "ferocious”), nominative of fer, from Latin ferus (“wild", "untamed”)

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /f??s/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /f??s/
• Rhymes: -??(?)s

Adjective

fierce (comparative fiercer, superlative fiercest)

1. Exceedingly violent, severe, ferocious, cruel or savage.

   A fierce storm battered the coast.

   I felt a fierce loyalty to my family.

2. Resolute or strenuously active.

   We made a fierce attempt to escape.

3. Threatening in appearance or demeanor.

   The lion gave a fierce roar.

4. (slang, Ireland, rural) Excellent, very good.

   Q: "How was the party last night?" A: "Fierce!"

5. (slang, US, LGBT, fashion) Of exceptional quality, exhibiting boldness or chutzpah.

   Tyra said to strike a pose and make it fierce.

Synonyms

• (exceedingly violent): incessive
• (threatening in appearance or demeanor): incessive

Derived terms

• fiercely
• fierceness
• something fierce

Related terms

• feral
• ferocious

Translations

Adverb

fierce (not comparable)

1. (slang, Ireland, rural) Extremely; very.

   It was fierce cold last night.

References

• fierce at OneLook Dictionary Search
• fierce in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• Recife