burly

[bur-lee]

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adjective, bur·li·er, bur·li·est.

large in bodily size; stout; sturdy.

bluff; brusque.

Nearby words

Origin of burly

1250–1300; Middle English borli, burli, Old English borlīce (adv.) excellently, equivalent to bor(a) ruler + -līce -ly

SYNONYMS FOR burly

1. strapping, stocky, brawny, thickset, beefy, hefty.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR burly ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR burly

1. puny, weak, frail.

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Related formsbur·li·ly, adverbbur·li·ness, nounun·bur·ly, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for burly

A burly Belgian, strapped with grenades and ammunition, towered above them.
‘Argo’ in the Congo: The Ghosts of the Stanleyville Hostage Crisis|Nina Strochlic|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Based on his sock puppet, I expected him to be a burly bearded giant clad in plaid—basically, a Canadian Paul Bunyan.
Canada’s Subversive Sock Puppet: Ed the Sock Isn’t Afraid to Say Anything|Soraya Roberts|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The film tells the story of Ron “Stray Dog” Hall, a burly, sixtysomething biker and Vietnam vet.
Life After ‘Winter’s Bone’: Debra Granik on Finding J. Law and the Plight of the Female Director|Marlow Stern|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She tried the direct, how-do-you-do handshake approach, but was blocked by a burly aide-de-camp.
Andrew Cuomo Can't Ignore It Now: He's Weak Even at Home|David Freedlander|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In recent years, Montana has been electing a certain breed of burly, alpha male Democrats.
Meet Montana's Nose-Ringed Candidate for the U.S. Senate|Ben Jacobs|August 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At their head loomed a burly black-whiskered creature with a revolver in each hand—the malignant Schwandorf himself.
The Pathless Trail|Arthur O. (Arthur Olney) Friel
As for my uncle, he did but hum a burly bass to the tune of the "Little wee wife."
Margery [Gred], Complete|Georg Ebers
"Take that burly housebreaker, bind him, and put him to the test," were the instructions they received.
The Mysteries of All Nations|James Grant
As the fisherman drew back into the shadow the Italian disappeared to return a moment later shoving a burly figure before him.
El Diablo|Brayton Norton
Then the burly fellow turned suddenly to Martin: "Here, you son of a dandy!"
Quintus Oakes|Charles Ross Jackson

British Dictionary definitions for burly

burly

adjective -lier or -liest

large and thick of build; sturdy; stout

Derived Formsburliness, noun

Word Origin for burly

C13: of Germanic origin; compare Old High German burlīh lofty

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 burly

burly

adj.

c.1300, perhaps from Old English burlic "noble, stately," literally "bowerly," fit to frequent a lady's apartment (see bower). Sense descended through "stout," and "sturdy" by 15c. to "heavily built." Another theory connects the Old English word to Old High German burlih "lofty, exalted," related to burjan "to raise, lift."

burly

adjective, bur·li·er, bur·li·est.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of burly

Examples from the Web for burly

burly

adjective -lier or -liest

Word Origin for burly

burly