▪ I. brusque, a.
(brʌsk, brʊsk)
Also 7 brusk(e, 9 brusk.
[a. F. brusque, according to Littré, etc., adapted in 16th c. from Italian brusco ‘soure, tarte, eagre, briske, vnripe; also soure- or grim-looking’ (Florio); cf. Sp. and Pg. brusco ‘rude, peevish, ill-tempered, roughly hasty’. The ulterior history is uncertain: one conjecture refers it to the Celtic words mentioned under brisk, which is hardly likely, if the Romanic word appeared first in Italian. See Diez and Littré. Commonly spelt brusk in the 17th c., but now usually spelt and often pronounced as French. (Cf. also brussly.)]
† 1. Tart. (= It. brusco.) Obs.
| 1601 Holland Pliny II. 152 The thin and bruske harsh wine nourisheth the body lesse. [1752 Lady M. W. Montague Lett. lxxvi. IV. 23 A sort of wine they call brusco.] |
2. Somewhat rough or rude in manner; blunt, ‘offhand’.
| 1651 Reliq. Wotton. (1685) 582 The Scotish Gentlemen..lately sent to that King, found..but a brusk welcome. 1757 H. Walpole Corr. (1837) I. 370 This sounds brusque, but I will explain it. 1826 Disraeli Viv. Grey ii. xv. 80 Yes, lively enough, but I wish her manner was less brusque. 1870 ― Lothair xlvi. 243 He was brusk, ungracious, scowling, and silent. 1879 M{supc}Carthy Own Times II. xxii. 123 His blunt, brusque ways of speaking and writing. |
▪ II. brusque, v.
(see prec.)
[f. prec. adj.]
1. with impers. obj. to brusque it: to assume a brusque manner, to ‘do it’ brusquely.
| 1826 Scott Woodst. (1832) I. 150 I'll e'en brusque it a little..and try if I can bring him to a more intelligible mode of speaking. |
2. trans. To treat brusquely or with scant courtesy, to treat in an off-handed way.
| 1836 Fraser's Mag. XIII. 530 Even in this first dialogue he brusques Tasso. 1839 Ibid. XX. 427 From the outset Blackwood domineered over and brusqued him. 1862 M. Napier Life Visc. Dundee II. 292 No disposition to slur over, or brusque the question. |