different between stern vs ungentle

English

Alternative forms

• sterne (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: stûrn, IPA^(key): /st?n/
• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: stûn, IPA^(key): /st??n/
• Rhymes: -??(?)n

Etymology 1

From Middle English stern, sterne, sturne, from Old English styrne (“stern, grave, strict, austere, hard, severe, cruel”), from Proto-Germanic *sturnijaz (“angry, astonished, shocked”), from Proto-Indo-European *ster- (“rigid, stiff”). Cognate with Scots stern (“bold, courageous, fierce, resolute”), Old High German storn?n (“to be astonished”), Dutch stuurs (“glum, austere”), Swedish stursk (“insolent”).

Adjective

stern (comparative sterner, superlative sternest)

1. Having a hardness and severity of nature or manner.
   • stern as tutors, and as uncles hard
2. Grim and forbidding in appearance.
   • 1814, William Wordsworth, The Excursion

     these barren rocks, your stern inheritance

Translations

Etymology 2

Most likely from Old Norse stjórn (“control, steering”), related to stýra (“to steer”), from Proto-Germanic *stiurijan?, whence also English steer. Also possibly from Old Frisian stiarne (“rudder”), from the same Germanic root.

Noun

stern (plural sterns)

1. (nautical) The rear part or after end of a ship or vessel.
2. (figuratively) The post of management or direction.
3. The hinder part of anything.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Edmund Spenser to this entry?)

4. The tail of an animal; now used only of the tail of a dog.

Synonyms

• (of a ship): poop

Antonyms

• bow

Derived terms

• from stem to stern
• sternpost

Translations

See also

• keel
• aft

Etymology 3

From a variant of tern.

Noun

stern (plural sterns)

1. A bird, the black tern.

Translations

Anagrams

• 'rents, Ernst, Snert, nerts, rents, snert, terns

Dutch

Etymology

Possibly cognate with Latin sturnus (“starling”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /st?r/
• Rhymes: -?r

Noun

stern m (plural sterns or sternen, diminutive sterntje n)

1. tern

Middle English

Noun

stern

1. Alternative form of sterne

Mòcheno

Etymology

From Middle High German stërne, stërre, stërn, from Old High German sterno, from Proto-Germanic *stern?, from Proto-Indo-European *h?st?r (“star”). Cognate with German Stern, English star.

Noun

stern m

1. star

References

• Anthony R. Rowley, Liacht as de sproch: Grammatica della lingua mòchena Deutsch-Fersentalerisch, TEMI, 2003.

Piedmontese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /st?r?/

Noun

stern m

1. breastbone

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