curtly

American  

[kurt-lee] / ˈkɜrt li /

adverb

1. so briefly or stiffly as to seem rude or snippy; tersely: Saying nothing, she nodded curtly at me and pointed to one of the two chairs.

   The officer saw my foreign passport and curtly ordered me to step aside.

   Saying nothing, she nodded curtly at me and pointed to one of the two chairs.

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Etymology

Origin of curtly

curt ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

The security guard did nothing but nod at her curtly as she passed him by on the stairs.

From Literature

“When there is a bookstore, it’s next door,” she answered curtly, and disappeared into the back.

From Literature

“Still, I am sure a barn would do in a pinch,” Penelope replied curtly.

From Literature

When she tries to compliment his picturesque farmland, he curtly responds, “It’s nothing like the soil I knew when I was young.”

From Los Angeles Times

To which Riley curtly responded, “I don’t really care what he says.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bluntly
• crudely
• harshly