brusque

or brusk

[bruhsk; especially British broosk]

See more synonyms for brusque on Thesaurus.com

adjective

abrupt in manner; blunt; rough: A brusque welcome greeted his unexpected return.

Origin of brusque

1595–1605; < Middle French < Italian brusco rough, tart, special use of brusco (noun) butcher's broom < Late Latin brūscum, for Latin rūscus, rūscum, perhaps conflated with Vulgar Latin *brūcus heather (see brier²)

Related formsbrusque·ly, adverbbrusque·ness, noun

Synonyms

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unceremonious, short, curt.

Synonym study

See blunt.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for brusque

Contemporary Examples

He identifies as “brusque” like other New York City residents.
Andrew Cuomo Ignores Rural New York
David Fontana
November 8, 2014
Those who have interacted with him describe him as brusque, eccentric, clenched.
Meet the Beer Bottle Dictator
Tim Mak
August 12, 2014
And McCauley was surely friendlier that his brusque air of command indicated.
The Strange and Mysterious Death of Mrs. Jerry Lee Lewis
Richard Ben Cramer
January 11, 2014
She is frequently described in the press with such adjectives as “brusque,” “aggressive,” and “undiplomatic in the extreme.”
Susan Rice’s Personality 'Disorder'
Lloyd Grove
December 12, 2012
Doctors, like the government itself, are brusque and hurried.
Mitt’s Bizarre Lyme Disease Offensive
Kent Sepkowitz
October 2, 2012

Historical Examples

Then, with a brusque movement of furious resolution, he disappeared in the night.
The Dream
Emile Zola
A brusque question caused him to stutter to the point of suffocation.
The Secret Agent
Joseph Conrad
The colonel-president, with a brusque gesture, interrupted this confession.
A Nest of Spies
Pierre Souvestre
It occurred to him that this brusque man of action might be compared to just such a being.
The Planetoid of Peril
Paul Ernst
Thorpe hailed him, with a peremptory tone, and gave the brusque order, "Strand!"
The Market-Place
Harold Frederic

British Dictionary definitions for brusque

brusque

adjective

blunt or curt in manner or speech

Derived Formsbrusquely, adverbbrusqueness or rare brusquerie (ˈbruːskərɪ), noun

Word Origin

C17: from French, from Italian brusco sour, rough, from Medieval Latin bruscus butcher's broom

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for brusque

adj.

1650s, from French brusque "lively, fierce," from Italian adjective brusco "sharp, tart, rough," perhaps from Vulgar Latin *bruscum "butcher's broom plant."

brusque

or brusk

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Synonyms

Synonym study

Related Words

Examples from the Web for brusque

Contemporary Examples

He identifies as “brusque” like other New York City residents.

Those who have interacted with him describe him as brusque, eccentric, clenched.

And McCauley was surely friendlier that his brusque air of command indicated.

She is frequently described in the press with such adjectives as “brusque,” “aggressive,” and “undiplomatic in the extreme.”

Doctors, like the government itself, are brusque and hurried.

Historical Examples

Then, with a brusque movement of furious resolution, he disappeared in the night.

A brusque question caused him to stutter to the point of suffocation.

The colonel-president, with a brusque gesture, interrupted this confession.

It occurred to him that this brusque man of action might be compared to just such a being.

Thorpe hailed him, with a peremptory tone, and gave the brusque order, "Strand!"

brusque

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for brusque

adj.

Origin of brusque