different between discerning vs harsh

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /d??s??n.i?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /d??s?n.i?/

Verb

discerning

1. present participle of discern

Adjective

discerning (comparative more discerning, superlative most discerning)

1. Of keen insight or good judgement; perceptive.

Related terms

• discern

Translations

Noun

discerning (plural discernings)

1. discernment
   • 1605, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of King Lear, I. iv. 224:

     Either his notion weakens, his discernings / Are lethargied

Anagrams

• rescinding

English

Etymology

From Middle English harsk, harisk(e), hask(e), herris. Century derived the term from Old Norse harskr (whence Danish harsk (“rancid”), dialectal Norwegian hersk, Swedish härsk); the Middle English Dictionary derives it from that and Middle Low German harsch (“rough”, literally “hairy”) (whence also German harsch), from haer (“hair”); the Oxford Dictionary of English derives it from Middle Low German alone.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

harsh (comparative harsher, superlative harshest)

1. Unpleasantly rough to the touch or other senses.
2. Severe or cruel.

Antonyms

• genteel

Translations

Verb

harsh (third-person singular simple present harshes, present participle harshing, simple past and past participle harshed)

1. (intransitive, slang) To negatively criticize.
2. (transitive, slang) to put a damper on (a mood).

Synonyms

• rough

Derived terms

• harshly
• harshness

Translations