haughty, a.
(ˈhɔːtɪ)
Forms: α. 6 haltie, haultie, -y, hawtie, -y, 6–7 hautie, -y. β. 6– haughty.
[An extension of haut, haught a., either as in dusk-y, worth-y, or simply by assimilation to doughty, mighty, naughty, weighty, etc.]
1. High in one's own estimation; lofty and disdainful in feeling or demeanour; proud, arrogant, supercilious. (Of persons, their action, speech, etc.)
| α 1530 Palsgr. 315/1 Hawty as one that is proude, haultain. 1563 Mirr. Mag., Rich. III, x, Puft vp in pride, so hawtie then I grewe. 1570 Satir. Poems Reform. xxi. 55 Hautie wordis. 1659 Hammond On Ps. xlv. 4 The prides of the hautiest heathen obdurate hearts. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 858 The Fiend..like a proud Steed reind, went hautie on. |
| β 1598 Florio, Orgoglioso, proude, disdainefull, haughtie. 1611 Bible Ps. cxxx. 1 Lord, my heart is not haughtie. 1667 Milton P.L. v. 852 Whereat rejoic'd Th' Apostat, and more haughty thus repli'd. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 191 The cruel haughty temper of the Spaniards. 1876 Rock Text. Fabr. 105 The humble broom-plant—the haughty Plantagenet's device. |
b. fig. Of an appearance that seems to claim or assume superiority; imposing in aspect; grand, stately, dignified: often with some mixture of sense 3.
| 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy iii. v. 78 With their great tufts of feathers upon their heads, they seem in their appearance proude and hawty. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 641 His haughty Crest. 1700 T. Brown tr. Fresny's Amusem. Ser. & Com. 86 Philosophers build those hauty Edifices they call Systems. 1850 W. Irving Mahomet lv. 254 I'll carry the war into yon haughty mountains. |
2. Of exalted character, style, or rank; elevated, lofty, eminent; high-minded, aspiring; of exalted courage or bravery.
arch.| α 1563 B. Googe Eglogs, etc. (Arb.) 72 The hawtye verse, that Maro wrote. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 438 Sithence your estate is so hautie and high. 1577–87 Holinshed Chron. III. 1171/2 His stoutnesse and haltie courage. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 484 Of courage hautie, and of limb Heroic built. |
| β 1578 T. N. tr. Conq. W. India 25 Men of haughtie corage, that no force or strength of Indians can offende. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. x. 1 Who now shall give unto me words and sound Equall unto this haughty enterprise? 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 280 These their haughtie attempts were stayed. 1805 Scott Last Minstr. vi. xxiii, No haughty feat of arms I tell. |
† 3. High, lofty (in literal sense).
Obs. (Often with some shade of sense 1.)
| 1570 B. Googe Pop. Kingd. iv. (1880) 50 b, From the toppes of hawtie towres. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 272 Plantes as growe in highe mountaines, in loftie and hautie places. Ibid. 288 Others..pufft upp in the pride of their nature, advaunce themselves to the hautie heavens. 1578 Mirr. for Mag. ii. Vortiger xiii. (1610) 206 God who rules the haughtie heauen a hygh. 1621 G. Sandys Ovid's Met. viii. (1626) 156 In mind they beare Their ancient fall and haughtie places feare. |
4. Comb., as
haughty-hearted,
haughty-minded,
haughty-stomached.
| 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 5 Some..report you to be proude and hautie harted. 1605 Tryall Chev. i. iii. in Bullen O. Pl. III. 281 Were his power and spirit Ten times more hauty-ventrous. a 1777 Fawkes tr. Appollon. Rhod., Argonautics iii. (R.), The haughty-minded Pelias. |