different between curt vs ungentle

English

Etymology

From the Latin curtus (“shortened”). Cognate with German kurz, Galician corto, Italian corto, Portuguese curto, and Spanish corto. Doublet of short.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /k?t/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /k??t/
• Rhymes: -??(?)t
• Homophone: Kurt

Adjective

curt (comparative curter, superlative curtest)

1. Brief or terse, especially to the point of being rude.

   Synonym: brusque
2. Short or concise.

Translations

Verb

curt (third-person singular simple present curts, present participle curting, simple past and past participle curted)

1. (obsolete, rare) To cut, cut short, shorten.
   • 1608, Josuah Sylvester, Du Bartas his divine weekes and workes

     Curting thy life, hee takes thy Card away.

Derived terms

• curtly
• curtness
• curtail

Related terms

• shirt
• short
• skirt

References

• An historical dictionary

Anagrams

• crut

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin curtus, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /?ku?t/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /?kurt/
• Homophone: kurd

Adjective

curt (feminine curta, masculine plural curts, feminine plural curtes)

1. short

   Antonym: llarg

Derived terms

Further reading

• “curt” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “curt” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “curt” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “curt” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Friulian

Etymology

From Latin curtus.

Adjective

curt m (feminine curte, masculine plural curts, feminine plural curtis)

1. short

Related terms

• scurtâ

Ladin

Etymology

From Latin curtus.

Adjective

curt m (feminine singular curta, masculine plural cursc, feminine plural curtes)

1. brief, short

Related terms

• scurter

Old French

Noun

curt f (oblique plural curz or curtz, nominative singular curt, nominative plural curz or curtz)

1. (Anglo-Norman) Alternative form of cort

English

Etymology

From un- +? gentle.

Adjective

ungentle (comparative more ungentle, superlative most ungentle)

1. Showing a lack of gentleness, kindness or compassion.

   Synonyms: cruel, harsh, rough, unkind

   • 1551, Ralph Robinson (translator), Utopia by Thomas More, London: Abraham Vele, Book 1,^[1]

     […] Moyses lawe, thoughe it were vngentle and sharpe […] yet it punnyshed thefte by the purse, and not wyth deathe.

   • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 1, Act V, Scene 1,^[2]

     You have […] made us doff our easy robes of peace,

     To crush our old limbs in ungentle steel:

   • 1770, Francis Gentleman, The Dramatic Censor, London: J. Bell, Volume 2, p. 110,^[3]

     […] a well-conceived squabble arises, and very ungentle terms ensue:

   • 1848, Anne Brontë, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, London: T. C. Newby, Volume 2, Chapter , p. 253,^[4]

     At length, however, the boisterous pastime terminated—suddenly, as might be expected: the little one was hurt and began to cry; and its ungentle playfellow tossed it into its mother’s lap, bidding her “make all straight.”

   • 1993, Vikram Seth, A Suitable Boy, New York: HarperCollins, Chapter 12.16, p. 805,^[5]

     ‘Dagh Sahib, a woman by herself—what place can she find in an ungentle world?’

2. (obsolete) Not acting according to accepted ethics or standards of behaviour.

   Synonyms: base, villainous, wicked

   • 1548, Edward Hall, The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre and Yorke, London: Richard Grafton, King Henry VI, year 15, p. 135,^[6]

     […] this vngentle prince, and forgetfull frend, puttyng in obliuion, bothe the dutie of his obeysaunce, toward his souereigne and liege lorde, and the oth and promise, that he made to kyng Henry, […] turned his backe to his frend and kynsman, and loked to the French part, whiche neuer did hym honor nor profite,

   • 1579, Anthony Munday, The Mirrour of Mutabilitie, London: John Allde, Book 2,^[7]

     What more deceit? then look thy Fréend in face:

     And woork his death, in most vngentle case.

   • c. 1590, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 2, Act III, Scene 2,^[8]

     Ungentle queen, to call him gentle Suffolk!

     No more, I say: if thou dost plead for him,

     Thou wilt but add increase unto my wrath.

   • 1629, John Ford, The Lover’s Melancholy, London: H. Seile, Act III, Scene 1, p. 42,^[9]

     I will reward thee:

     But as for him, vngentle Boy, Ile whip

     His falshood with a vengeance.

Derived terms

• ungentleness
• ungently

Translations