adjective
Other Word Forms
- burlily adverb
- burliness noun
- unburly adjective
Etymology
Origin of burly
1250–1300; Middle English borli, burli, Old English borlīce (adv.) excellently, equivalent to bor ( a ) ruler + -līce -ly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A tall, burly man was standing behind them.
From Literature
“Even the burliest, cis-dude gym rats are coming up to me all the time and thanking me for creating a space where they feel safe to work out,” Rypinski says.
From Los Angeles Times
"We need the Americans' support," said Fritz, a burly, bearded man with the flag of Alberta -- western Canada's oil-rich province -- draped around his shoulders.
From Barron's
And Detective Webster strolled right in front of me, creating a burly barrier between my unsightly appearance and any passersby on the sidewalk to the bank.
From Literature
Like sailors hoisting a mighty sail, burly stagehands hauled thick ropes hand over hand to roll back the stage curtain, and the performance began.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
