different between surly vs wurly

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

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?w??li?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?w?li/
• Homophone: wurley
• Hyphenation: wur?ly

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adjective

wurly (comparative wurlier or more wurly, superlative wurliest or most wurly)

1. (Northern England (Yorkshire), Scotland) Of an object: derisorily small, tiny; of a person: puny, stunted.
2. (Scotland) gnarled, knotted; wizened, wrinkled.

Synonyms

• (derisorily small): dinky, petty, puny; see also Thesaurus:small or Thesaurus:tiny
• (gnarled, knotted): gnarly, knobbly, knobby, knotty
• (wizened, wrinkled): bewrinkled, rugose, wrinkly; see also Thesaurus:wrinkled

Alternative forms

• wirly
• wurlie (Scotland)

Etymology 2

Variant of wurley.

Noun

wurly (plural wurlies)

1. (chiefly South Australia) Alternative spelling of wurley.