different between cynical vs surly

English

Etymology

Originated 1580–90 from cynic +? -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?n?k?l/
• Homophone: sinical

Adjective

cynical (comparative more cynical, superlative most cynical)

1. Of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated only or primarily by base desires or selfishness.
2. Skeptical of the integrity, sincerity, or motives of others.
3. Bitterly or jadedly distrustful or contemptuous; mocking.

   • He seldom talked, and when he did, it was usually to make some cynical remark-for instance, he would say that God had given him a tail to keep the flies off, but that he would sooner have had no tail and no flies.

4. Showing contempt for accepted moral standards by one's actions.

   • When he, at Neergard's cynical suggestion, had consented to exploit his own club […] and had consented to resign from it to do so, he had every reason to believe that Neergard meant to either mulct them heavily or buy them out. In either case, having been useful to Neergard, his profits from the transaction would have been considerable.

5. (medicine, rare) Like the actions of a snarling dog, especially in reference to facial nerve paralysis.

Translations

References

• “cynical”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2000, ?ISBN
• “cynical” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• "cynical" in WordNet 2.0, Princeton University, 2003.
• cynical at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• calycin

English

Etymology

16th-century alteration of sirly, from sir +? -ly.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?s??li/
• Rhymes: -??(r)li

Adjective

surly (comparative surlier, superlative surliest)

1. Irritated, bad-tempered, unfriendly.
2. Threatening, menacing, gloomy.

   The surly weather put us all in a bad mood.

3. (obsolete) Lordly, arrogant, supercilious.

Derived terms

• surliness

Translations

Adverb

surly (comparative surlier, superlative surliest)

1. (obsolete) In an arrogant or supercilious manner.
   • 1623, William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, I.iii,

     Against the Capitol I met a lion / Who glazed upon me, and went surly by / Without annoying me […]

Middle English

Adverb

surly

1. Alternative form of surely