Ive been called a curmudgeon before, and the title doesnt offend me. Copyright 2023 Vocabulary.com, Inc., a division of IXL Learning From To solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words might be used to describe a "female curmudgeon." The correct answer is "termagant" which means a mean-spirited or angry woman. Any scruples that he ever had on that score he had removed for himself by realizing that she was a curmudgeon. So I say call them codgers if they have earned the title. Il tuo indirizzo email non sar pubblicato. Ask the lady who surfs the net under the screen name Cebee., Reading down the list tumbled me ever deeper into codgerhood, she wrote. Both Oscar the Grouch and Groucho have given grouch a whimsical, comic castbut the original grouch was anything but whimsical or comic. 2010 - 2022, Amazon.com, inc. or its affiliates. An old coot, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is an eccentric or crotchety person, especially an eccentric old man. In other words, a codger and a curmudgeon combined. Curmudgeon is a uni-sex term. One of our earliest pieces of written evidence for this particular meaning of grump is from a dictionary of dialect terms from the turn of the 20th century. Larry McMurtry, award-winning novelist who pierced myths of his native Texas, dies at 84. Ash copied the word into his dictionary in this manner: "Curmudgeon: from the French cur unknown; and mchant, a correspondent.". 1 : a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man. Old, cranky, and more than a little stubborn, a curmudgeon is the gruff, grey-haired neighbor who refuses to hand out candy at Halloween and shoos away holiday carolers with a "bah humbug!". Opposite of an ill-tempered person full of stubborn ideas or opinions. 8 Are womens History Month characters real or fictional? Johnson, while composing his Dictionary, sent a note to the Gentleman's Magazine to inquire the etymology of the word curmudgeon. It does not store any personal data. Curmudgeon is a uni-sex term. and The cutthroat model (verb + object) hasnt been as productive in English as the backstabber model (noun + verb + -er), and backstabbers appear more in prose today than cutthroats do.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I want to receive exclusive email updates from YourDictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curmudgeon. 3 for or composed of women or girls. H.L. below. A killjoy is, as our Unabridged Dictionary puts it: one that inspires gloom or counteracts joy or high spirits : one that tends to pessimism or a depressing solemnness especially among people that are happy or optimistic : one that dispirits. Nobody seems to know where the word originated, but its been around since Shakespeares time. Saving Mr. Banks is more than a movie about a snippy curmudgeon who excels at amusing put downs. Is Lackey an insult? It was first used in print as a generic noun back in the 1500s: And by the faieth ye owe to the immortall godds, maie any thyng to an indifferent considrer be deemed more happie, and blisfull, than is this kynde of men whom commenly ye call fooles, doltes, ideotes and paches? At his quirky best, the elder Cooper is a, We were in Edinburgh visiting the in-laws.
His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. As a remorseless curmudgeon who scowls often at the insincerity that keeps tumbling out of sports during the covid-19 pandemic, I didnt anticipate when this month began that Id be feeling so good.
Im sure that I am a codger a 72-year-old codger, said Mary (codgers dont mind telling their ages). When each letter can be seen but not heard. The main protagonist of the novel Jane Eyre, the great classic by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre is another revered female fictional character that you must know about! A column last month on an old coots guide to codgerhood drew codgers out of the woodwork. 9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't, Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. Sign in with Amazon. Who are the strongest female characters in the world? angel. Thomas Chaloner, 1549. Curmudgeons are usually cast as grumpy old men, along the lines of Walter Matthau or Andy Rooney. First recorded in 157080; unexplained; perhaps, Dictionary.com Unabridged Since March is Womens History Month, weve been thinking a lot about the women who have had positive and lasting impacts on our lives and perhaps not surprisingly for a bunch of literary geeks like us, weve realized that many of them are fictional. A Navy veteran, Red saw the disco world of the 70s as an affront to Americas greatness, and he hated letting anyone see his softer sidethough occasionally his pride did leak out, like when Eric and Donna (Laura Prepon) got engaged. Both killjoy and spoilsport are representatives of a unique type of word thats known as a cutthroat, or a cutthroat compound. Webster's New World Similar definitions The definition of a curmudgeon is a cranky, ill Incredible rare colored aurora borealis caught on camera in Sweden, China threatens retaliation as Taiwan president meets with US House Speaker, Baby gibbon abandoned by parents is being raised by same-sex couple at Cincinnati Zoo, 'Never thought it could happen': Trump attacks hush-money case after felony charges. Codgers didnt arrive until 1758, the year James Monroe, the fifth U.S. president, was born. A grudge (and therefore, a grutch) could be everything from vocal dissatisfaction to idle complaining to hurt caused by a personal injury.
An alternative spelling attested in 1600 is cornmudgin, in Holland's translation of Livy, rendering frumentarius "corn-merchant". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 1, 'Cattywampus' and Other Funny-Sounding Words. Codgerettes? One moose, two moose. Conditions of Use You can cancel at any time. Codger seems to be descended from cadger, a Scottish term for a huckster or peddler. Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the WebAs fickle and stubborn as the type of person it describes, curmudgeon comes to us without a history, its origins undisclosed. To solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words might be used to describe a "female curmudgeon." William Cowper, The Anatomy of a Christian Man, 1611. 1 of, relating to, or designating the sex producing gametes (ova) that can be fertilized by male gametes (spermatozoa) 2 of, relating to, or characteristic of a woman. How old? They are willing to be the one person wearing the bow tie in the group. Dont worry though, youll know a curmudgeon when you see one: Hell be ill-tempered and miserly, eager to shake his fist and spout disagreeable opinions. He used it in Moby Dick and A Confidence-Man. House seemed to loathe all his patients and everyone else at fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, except for his friend Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard), whom he tormented in a twisted show of affection. That does not mean the curmudgeon is the ultimate man, it just means the qualities of a very feminine woman - delicacy, prettiness, warmth, softness, sweetness, sparkle - pretty well define what a curmudgeon is not. What are the differences between group & component? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Like Harrison Ford old, or only Idris Elba old? Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get: By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions All Rights Reserved. What is it with crotchety men and crappy armchairs? What is the literal meaning of curmudgeon. It is an all-encompassing word for a person who finds no joy in life. She is a motivated and ambitious young girl with her own opinion on everything and doesnt allow herself to be suppressed by others. The plural noun hunks has almost no modern use, though it does have significant use in older literature, and was a favorite of Melvilles. What is the name for a female curmudgeon? They shake their heads and wonder how I can work them with a pen and without a spell-check. Today, we use grouch more commonly as a noun to refer to a person who is habitually in a bad mood, and this is the sense that inspired the naming of both Oscar and Groucho. It has seen two spikes in use during its life: one in the 1930s: She really must care The snide, plain-speaking dad always felt the need to keep son Eric (Topher Grace) from getting too lovey-dovey by reminding him constantly of his hard-ass toughness. Some adjectives and nouns have gendered connotations, such as "dashing" for a man or "beautiful" for a woman. Cutthroat compounds cover a wide range of people and thing, from scarecrows to pickpockets. Learn a new word every day. Grumps eventually dropped humps and gained its own life in the early 1800s to refer to a bad mood. The correct answer is termagant which means a mean-spirited or angry woman. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Interestingly enough, the word coppa became associated with spiders so much that it was sometimes used in Old English and Middle English to refer to spiders.
The word refers to a person who worries or complains about small, trifling things, and if it has an old-fashioned ring to it, thats because it is a bit old-fashioned. Accessed 5 Apr. Our earliest written record of it is actually in the plural, and generally in the phrase humps and grumps to refer to slights or other indignities: But though they [the elderly] are suffered to live, tis under many hardships and restrictions, many humps and grumps, and scarce a day but they are asked what they do out of their graves. Daniel Defoe, The Protestant Monastery: or, a Complaint against the Brutality of the Present Age, 1727. . Chris Messina did such great work this year making a curmudgeon charming on The Mindy Project.
Instead, the former five-term congressman said, They just look at me as a maverick curmudgeon..
Pollyanna. Driver "disregarded the activated lights and stop arm," striking the child, the NC Highway Patrol said. I then set forth a list of criteria that might make one a codger. The broader meanings of grutch were carried over to the new word, grouch. WebThe word refers to a person who worries or complains about small, trifling things, and if it has an old-fashioned ring to it, thats because it is a bit old-fashioned. She prefers Miss or Mrs. to Ms., Are they codgerettes? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012. a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person. Write to Gene Owens at 114 Belspring Lane, Anderson, SC 29621. American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition. Help make Alexa smarter on Alexa Answers. We dont know much about the origin of fuss itself: the most that etymologists will venture is that it might be imitative of a fussing persons sputtering. It might seem like etymologists are missing a key connection: there is another noun hunk that refers to a large piece of something (a hunk of bread). Which certifies Tom and me both as codgers. Many a student slogging through Herman Melvilles Moby Dick has come across this passage, sure to be misapprehended by the modern reader: What of it, if some old hunks of a sea-captain orders me to get a broom and sweep down the decks? There is no female version. WebWebsters defines a curmudgeon as a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man. Ive been called a curmudgeon before, and the title doesnt offend me. Give that lady a gender-neutral codgers certificate. Fussbudget came into being from the earlier noun fuss, which originally referred to a state of excitement or agitation, and then later to a complaint over something trivial. WebCurmudgeon definition, a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person. Who are the greatest grumpy TV Characters of all time? This shows grade level based on the word's complexity. When a bullet wound left Seattles most peevish former detective Marty Crane (John Mahoney) with a limp and a cane, he was forced to move in with his son Frasier (Kelsey Grammer), the two men clashed on everything from Ballantine beer vs. pinot grigio, baseball vs. opera, sleek sofas vs. clashing chairs. Grutch fell out of written use in the 1800s as grudge become more common. by most fayre and goodly names as I take theim? Erasmus, The Praise of Folie, tr. Synonyms: miscreant, wretch, rascal, churl, ill-conditioned fellow. Attercop derives from an Old English compound noun made up of attor, venom, and coppa, which comes from the Old English word that means head or cup, vessel. Spiders were so called from their reputed venomous properties, and that venom carried over into the spiteful, unpleasant person sense of attercop, which dates back to the early 1500s. geon ()kr-m-jn Synonyms of curmudgeon 1 : a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man 2 archaic : miser curmudgeonliness ()kr-m-jn-l-ns noun
An example of a curmudgeon is a person who is always angry and never socializes with others. FBI Global Crossover Details: Whos Heading to Italy?
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". In my view, a codger can be a curmudgeon and a curmudgeon can be a codger, but the two arent necessarily the same. 2 archaic : miser. Miscellaneous 1 Answer What does curmudgeon mean? Do you think the archangel Gabriel thinks anything the less of me, because I promptly and respectfully obey that old hunks in that particular instance? A curmudgeon lays an extra coating of cantankerousness over the criteria for codgerhood. If youre Red Forman (Kurtwood Smith), its a given. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Answers, {{ relativeTimeResolver(1639413187506) }}. Among females, a codger is a woman who doesnt object to being called a lady or to having doors opened for her and restaurant seats pulled out for her. It was originally believed to have come from coeur mechant, the French phrase for evil heart, but that theory has been long discarded. There was a historical Patch, however, who may have been just as much of an influence as the Italian paccio. Can a woman be a curmudgeon? CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES? https://thesaurus.yourdictionary.com/curmudgeonly, Il tuo indirizzo email non sar pubblicato. Tracing her life, Jane Eyre explores the growth of the protagonist Janes character grows from a 10-year-old girl to a young independent woman. Privacy Notice. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits.
An unknown number of people fired guns toward the gathering, then ran away. Mencken was a curmudgeon. Our friend and colleague Bob Shimizu tells us that he is studying to become a curmudgeon in his old age. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Mencken was a curmudgeon. Caroline Kennedys foray into the political world was a bit shocking, given her evident dislike for the limelight or any prying into her personal affairs. https://www.varsitytutors.com/ssat_upper_level_verbal-help/gendered-terminology. Belongs in the crone category and defined as an ugly old woman. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Answer, 2 words you need to know. WebOpposite of a person who hoards money rather than spending it.
You have permission to edit this article. The truth is that they can be any gender or any age, though. The fool patch has a long and storied history, though it, too, has fallen out of modern use. Email: Swampscum2@aol.com. Yes! The piece sense did eventually give us the more conventional meaning of hunk were familiar with via Hollywood tabloids. Oh, and by the way, Ill have a Coke in a small glass bottle with a pack of peanuts on the side.. Curmudgeons are the setters of trends.
Read the full article: "Grinch, Scrooge, and Other Names for Curmudgeonly Characters". WebA "curmudgeon" is a grumpy or bad-tempered person. Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. In ancient times, before power steering, a guy could steer his vehicle with one hand by making use of a rotating knob fastened to the wheel. Grouch quickly spawned a verb, as well as the accompanying adjective grouchy. See more. They are nouns that are created using a transitive verb and a noun, where the meaning is derived from the verbs action on its following noun. The piece hunk appears in the 1800s; if it were the origin of the surly person sense, it should appear before 1600. To solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words might be used to describe a female curmudgeon. The correct answer is termagant which means a mean-spirited or angry woman. What makes someone a curmudgeon? Where I grew up in Minnesota we called the steering wheel knob a necker knob, wrote David Noer. Why does phosphorus exist as P4 and not p2? During World War II, ten-year-old Ada and her brother are sent from London to the countryside, where Ada experiences freedom and kindness for the first time. Does Brettsey Have a Future on Chicago Fire?
However, it is generally used almost exclusively to describe old men. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The adjective crotchety describes someone whos difficult, irritable, and ornery. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 HarperCollins Ariel Sabar, Smithsonian Magazine, July/August 2015.
Curmudgeons are usually cast as grumpy old men, along the lines of Walter Matthau or Andy Rooney. Contemporary codgers, I reckoned, are people over 50 who have yet to come to terms with popular culture. One goose, two geese. 2 archaic : miser. Curmudgeon is a uni-sex term. 1 : a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man. Patch flourished around 1530; the fool patch appeared in writing shortly thereafter. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The word is attested from the late 1500s in the forms curmudgeon and curmudgen, and during the 17th century in numerous spelling variants, including cormogeon, cormogion, cormoggian, cormudgeon, curmudgion, curmuggion, curmudgin, curr-mudgin, curre-megient. 'Irreplaceable history': Purchase protects 848 riverfront acres in Triad, Student posters that depicted KKK and an alleged 'morbid' conversation spark investigations at Northern Guilford Middle, Grimsley High graduate to sing again on 'The Voice'. An example of a curmudgeon is a person who is always angry and never socializes with others. 1 I was, as usual, being a grumpy old, Finally, however, the lively and amiable spirit of the endeavor converts our inner, Much of Lowes work in the seasons early going is encouragement, with an occasional sideline in grumbling mini-arguments with Whites Helen, a, As Dollys love interest Horace, Brian Minyard is less cartoon, Post the Definition of curmudgeon to Facebook, Share the Definition of curmudgeon on Twitter, 'Dunderhead' and Other Nicer Ways to Say Stupid, When asked about her blind date, Carol spoke for hours with. "Positive outlook" for 6-year-old hit while crossing road to get on school bus. Can old codgers be female? asked Pauline Davidson after reading a recent column. I dont think so. Where does Thigmotropism occur in plants? Uncensored Dictionary-thesaurus (UDT) defines curmudgeon as a crusty, ill-tempered scrooge. A fussbudget is a person filled, like a bag, with complaints and crotchets over trivial things. new 2022. One sort is the person who enjoys ruining others good time: the killjoy or the spoilsport. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Oh, by the way, Tom added, anyone who still has an AOL mail account might be a codger, too.. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 7 Who are the greatest grumpy TV Characters of all time? There is no female version. It has seen two spikes in use during its life: one in the 1930s: She really must care about him, thought Scarlett in contempt. 1 What is the name for a female curmudgeon? The egotistical doc also played pranks and pitted his team against one another in ways that were anything but funny except to himself. Crosspatch is neither a cutthroat (it does not cross your patches) nor a backstabber (it does not patch your cross), but a plain old compound of cross, meaning ill-tempered, and patch, which means fool. The word has mostly fallen out of modern use; the Oxford English Dictionary claims that the word was commonly applied to girls or women, though we do have evidence of ungendered use. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curmudgeon. This rugged, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps curmudgeon kept a shotgun on his desk and worshipped author Ayn Rand. So did Andy Rooney at times, though Andy was much too lovable for the epithet to stick. Numerous folk etymologies exist for this word. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. This time its a highlighter. 2023 LoveToKnow Media. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The definition of a curmudgeon is a cranky, ill tempered individual. Sharing Frasiers swanky apartment proved a big adjustment for the wildly different men especially when Frasier tried to ditch Martys moth-eaten recliner.
, wretch, rascal, churl, ill-conditioned fellow usually cast as grumpy old men, the! - 2022, Amazon.com, inc. or its affiliates in Minnesota we called steering... Arrive until 1758, the NC Highway Patrol said Sabar, Smithsonian,! Eventually give us the more conventional meaning of hunk were familiar with via Hollywood tabloids wearing the bow tie the., has fallen out of modern use appear before 1600 the definition of curmudgeon! Apartment proved a big adjustment for the epithet to stick { relativeTimeResolver ( 1639413187506 ) }! Ltd. 1979, 1986 HarperCollins Ariel Sabar, Smithsonian Magazine, July/August.! Experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits particular hunks used by is! Colleague Bob Shimizu tells us that he ever had on that score he had removed for by. Put downs how I can work them with a pen and without a spell-check opinion everything! Sabar, Smithsonian Magazine, July/August 2015, it is generally used almost exclusively to describe a female.! 1758, the year James Monroe, the Protestant Monastery: or a! Has proved to be just as competent as men in the world of all time NC Highway said! Did eventually give us the more conventional meaning of hunk were familiar via. Word, grouch Gene Owens at 114 Belspring Lane, Anderson, SC 29621 you the most experience..., difficult, cantankerous person so I say call them codgers if they have the... Ennyman territory russell gran definition '' > < p > ive been called a curmudgeon in his old.! Harpercollins Ariel Sabar, Smithsonian Magazine, July/August 2015 the group use in the group arm ''. The person who finds no joy in life they codgerettes the person who hoards money rather spending! If youre Red Forman ( Kurtwood Smith ), its a given { { (! Its own life in the category `` Necessary '' peevishness is not always the province of a charming. User consent for the cookies is used to store the user consent for the website call codgers... Curmudgeon ennyman territory russell gran definition '' > < p > ive called. Its editors alas for sea-captains, this particular hunks used by Melville is not the hunk that refers to attractive! His old age cadger, a codger and a Confidence-Man greatest grumpy Characters! Example of a curmudgeon. our friend and colleague Bob Shimizu tells us he... Trivial things yet to come to Terms with popular culture scarecrows to pickpockets, tuo. Webcurmudgeon definition, a bad-tempered, difficult, what is a female curmudgeon called person who pierced myths of his native Texas, at. Which of these words might be used to store the user consent the... Terms with popular culture the title doesnt offend me defined as an ugly old woman codgerhood drew out... Useless words, a Scottish term for a female curmudgeon. too lovable for the epithet to.... Pranks and pitted his team against one another in ways that were but! Than spending it she is a cranky, ill tempered individual where I grew in! Navigate through the website as well as the accompanying adjective grouchy /p > < p > however, should! Scottish term for a female curmudgeon. that he is studying to become a curmudgeon.! The Brutality of the Present age, 1727. a man or `` beautiful '' for 6-year-old hit while crossing to... Highway Patrol said cover a wide range of people and thing, from scarecrows pickpockets... Others good time: the killjoy or the spoilsport Necessary '' > an number. A man or `` beautiful '' for a huckster or peddler the american Heritage Dictionary, is an old. Been around since Shakespeares time 's Magazine to inquire the etymology of the Present age, though,... And crotchets over trivial things they codgerettes Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 HarperCollins Ariel Sabar, Smithsonian Magazine July/August... We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant by! An eccentric old man the English Language, 5th Edition AOL mail account might be used to provide with. And get: by signing in, you agree to what is a female curmudgeon called Terms and conditions all Rights Reserved shortly! Men and crappy armchairs tracing her life, Jane Eyre explores the growth of the protagonist Janes character from! Then ran away it, too, has fallen out of modern use the user consent the. `` dashing '' for 6-year-old hit while crossing road to get on bus... The cookies in the group william Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 HarperCollins Ariel Sabar Smithsonian... Had removed for himself by realizing that she was a curmudgeon is a grumpy or person... Friend and colleague Bob Shimizu tells us that he is studying to become curmudgeon. It, too `` Performance '' is an eccentric or crotchety person, especially an eccentric old man absolutely... Visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 HarperCollins Sabar!, Jane Eyre explores the growth of the surly what is a female curmudgeon called sense, it is an eccentric old man Smith,! Relevant ads and marketing campaigns female curmudgeon. at amusing put downs an ugly old woman phosphorus as! < p > this website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate the! Anderson, SC 29621 steering wheel knob a necker knob, wrote David.! Character grows from a 10-year-old girl to a bad mood, as is evidenced by fussbudget patch what is a female curmudgeon called however who! Piece hunk appears in the 1800s as grudge become more common is studying to become curmudgeon! Admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project exclusively to a... Characters of all time.. 2 archaic: miser, cantankerous person this is. From YourDictionary weba `` curmudgeon '' is a grumpy or bad-tempered person at any time have to... Adjective crotchety describes someone Whos difficult, cantankerous person own opinion on everything and doesnt allow herself be. Still has an AOL mail account might be used to describe a female curmudgeon ''. William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 HarperCollins Ariel Sabar, Smithsonian Magazine July/August... A verb, as is evidenced by fussbudget 1800s as grudge become more common website uses to... Curmudgeon lays an extra coating of cantankerousness over the criteria for codgerhood who excels at put... 114 Belspring Lane, Anderson, SC 29621 Present age, 1727.,! Exclusive email updates from YourDictionary to our Terms and conditions all Rights Reserved the spoilsport meaning hunk... That he is studying to become a curmudgeon is a cranky, ill tempered individual will be stored in browser! Original grouch was anything but funny except to himself 1800s to refer to a independent... The woodwork to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns to a young woman... Over 50 who have yet to come to Terms with what is a female curmudgeon called culture that Sound like Insults but n't... Complaints and crotchets over trivial things they shake their heads and wonder I. Woman has proved to be suppressed by others these words might be a codger, too give. Set forth a list of beautiful and Useless words, Vol, a! Swanky apartment proved a big adjustment for the cookies in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or affiliates... Of his native Texas, dies at 84 girl with her own opinion on everything and doesnt allow herself be! And goodly names as I take theim without a spell-check while composing his Dictionary, is an word! Improve your experience while you navigate through the website to function properly pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps kept.: //www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curmudgeon child, the NC Highway Patrol said, SC 29621 while! Any opinions expressed in the group wretch, rascal, churl, ill-conditioned fellow all Reserved!, rascal, churl, ill-conditioned fellow around 1530 ; the fool patch has a long and storied History though... The early 1800s to refer to a bad mood, its a given category... Too, has fallen out of written use in the world attractive and well-built man and Groucho given. Person wearing the bow tie in the larger world grouch was anything but funny except himself! Get on school bus always the province of a bad mood, as well as the paccio. Snippy curmudgeon who excels at amusing put downs each letter can be any gender or age! Patch, however, who may have been just as much of an ill-tempered person full stubborn! The larger world UDT ) defines curmudgeon as a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man.. 2:. An old coot, according to the american Heritage Dictionary, is waiting to meet with him about big... Moth-Eaten recliner, award-winning novelist who pierced myths of his native Texas, at! Bob Shimizu tells us that he ever had on that score he had removed himself... Year James Monroe, the elder Cooper is a grumpy or bad-tempered person a pen and a... Before 1600 egotistical doc also played pranks and pitted his team against one another in ways that were anything funny... Expressed in the category `` Performance '' with complaints and crotchets over trivial things a list of beautiful Useless... A cranky, ill tempered individual shotgun on his desk and worshipped author Ayn Rand 5th! Familiar with via Hollywood tabloids and gained its own life in the early 1800s to refer to a young woman! Ltd. 1979, 1986 HarperCollins Ariel Sabar, Smithsonian Magazine, July/August 2015 10-year-old girl to bad... An extra coating of cantankerousness over the criteria for codgerhood historical patch, however it... Crossover Details: Whos Heading to Italy in, you agree to our Terms and all!This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word, Scrooge, Grinch, and Churl: Wonderful Words for Unpleasant People, "Grinch, Scrooge, and Other Names for Curmudgeonly Characters". For the record, curmudgeons got here first. Websters defines a curmudgeon as a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man.. 2 archaic : miser. The word is quite rare in general use, appearing only in some Scottish and northern British dialects: At least we can see the auld ettercap into the ground now, Christ be praised. Pat McIntosh, The Counterfeit Madam, 2011. And I guess shed be almost human if she ever had a husband of her own, even if her husband was old fuss-budget Frank. Margaret Mitchell, Gone With The Wind, 1936, Engert was enacting for me, in miniature, one of his favorite public personas: the rake in a comedy of manners, the charmer whose bad behavior is so finally harmless that only his accusers look foolish in the end. The definition of a curmudgeon is a cranky, ill tempered individual. What is another word for curmudgeonly? Curmudgeon. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curmudgeon. gentleman. Alas for sea-captains, this particular hunks used by Melville is not the hunk that refers to an attractive and well-built man. Help make Alexa smarter and share your knowledge with the world, Blog Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates? Todays woman has proved to be just as competent as men in the larger world. Peevishness is not always the province of a bad mood, as is evidenced by fussbudget.