different between harsh vs peremptory

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

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman peremptorie, parentorie et al. (Modern French péremptoire), and its source, Latin perempt?rius (“deadly; decisive”), from perim? (“destroy”), from per- (“thorough”) + em? (“I take, I acquire”) (compare English emporium (“store”)).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /p????mpt??i/

Adjective

peremptory (comparative more peremptory, superlative most peremptory)

1. (law) Precluding debate or expostulation; not admitting of question or appeal
   • 1596, Francis Bacon, Maxims of the Law, II:

     there is no reason but if any of the outlawries be indeed without error, but it should be a peremptory plea to the person in a writ of error, as well as in any other action.

   Synonyms: positive, absolute, decisive, conclusive, final

2. Positive in opinion or judgment; absolutely certain, overconfident, unwilling to hear any debate or argument (especially in a pejorative sense); dogmatic.
   • 2003, Andrew Marr, The Guardian, 6 Jan 03:

     He marched under a placard reading "End Bossiness Now" but decided it was a little too peremptory, not quite British, so changed the slogan on subsequent badges, to "End Bossiness Soon."

3. (obsolete) Firmly determined, resolute; obstinate, stubborn.
4. Accepting no refusal or disagreement; imperious, dictatorial.
   • […] less surprising than that he had been depressed by a book. Something was making him nibble at the edge of stale ideas as if his sturdy physical egotism no longer nourished his peremptory heart.

   • 1999, Anthony Howard, The Guardian, 2 Jan 99:

     Though today (surveying that yellowing document) I shudder at the peremptory tone of the instructions I gave, Alastair - in that same volume in which I get chastised for my coverage of the Macmillan rally - was generous enough to remark that my memorandum became 'an office classic'.

Derived terms

• peremptorily
• peremptory challenge

Translations

Noun

peremptory (plural peremptories)

1. (law) A challenge to the admission of a juror, without the challenger needing to show good cause.
   • 2015 June 18, Justice Alito, Davis v. Ayala, Case No. 13-1428:

     Each side was allowed 20 peremptories, and the prosecution used 18 of its allotment.

References

• peremptory in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• preemptory, preëmptory