▪ I. surly, a.
(ˈsɜːlɪ)
Also 6 -li, 7 -lie, -ley.
[Altered spelling of sirly a.]
† 1. ? Lordly, majestic. Obs. rare.
| 1566 Drant tr. Horace, Sat. i. ii. B j b, How he doth decke, and dighte His surlye corps in rytche aray. |
† 2. a. Masterful, imperious; haughty, arrogant, supercilious.
Obs.| c 1572 I. B. in Gascoigne Posies (1575), The sauerie sappes in Gascoignes Flowers that are,..Could not content the surly for their share, Ne cause them once to yeeld him thankes therefore. 1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 4, I have not shoun mi self so surli towards mi inferiors. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. July 203 Sike syrlye shepheards. [Glosse] Surly, stately and prowde. 1589 Puttenham Engl. Poesie iii. xxiv. (Arb.) 299 With the great personages his egals to be solemne and surly, with meaner men pleasant and popular. 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. ii. v. 163 Be opposite with a kinsman, surly with seruants. 1682 Dryden Medal 311 The surly Commons shall respect deny. 1697 ― Virg. Past. ix. 6 When the grim Captain in a surly Tone Cries out, pack up ye Rascals, and be gone. 1726 Pope Odyss. xxiii. 50 Stern as the surly lion o'er his prey. |
† b. as
adv. Obs.| 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. i. iii. 21 Against the Capitoll I met a Lyon, Who glaz'd vpon me, and went surly by, Without annoying me. 1693 R. Lyde Acc. Retaking ‘Friend's Adv.’ 10 Those that carried themselves most surly towards me. |
3. a. Churlishly ill-humoured; rude and cross; ‘gloomily morose’ (J.). Said of persons (or animals), or their actions or attributes.
| 1670 Ray Prov. 208 As surly as a butchers dog. 1677 Otway Cheats of Scapin i. i, Thou art as surly as if thou really couldst do me no good. 1722 De Foe Col. Jack (1840) 7 Captain Jack..a surly, ill-looked rough boy, had not a word in his mouth that savoured either of good manners, or good humour. 1757 Smollett Reprisal i. i, Commend me to the blunt sincerity of the true surly British mastiff. 1770 Goldsm. Des. Vill. 105 Nor surly porter stands in guilty state. 1807 Crabbe Par. Reg. iii. 245 And surly beggars cursed the ever-bolted door. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop xvi, A surly, grumbling manner. 1865 Kingsley Herew. xix, A surly voice asked who was there. 1884 F. M. Crawford Rom. Singer ix. I. 187 Dry throats make surly answers, as the proverb says. |
b. as
n. (
quasi proper name).
nonce-use.
| 1748 Smollett Rod. Rand. v, Well, well, old surly,..thou art an honest fellow. |
4. fig. from 2 and 3:
† ‘Imperious’, stern and rough (
obs.); (of soil, etc.) obstinate, refractory, intractable; (of weather, etc.) rough and gloomy, threatening and dismal.
| c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. lxxi, You shall heare the surly sullen bell Giue warning to the world that I am fled From this vile world. 1646 G. Daniel Poems Wks. (Grosart) I. 69 The Lawes Of Surly fate. 1654 Tuckney Death Disarmed 24 Seneca according to his surly stoical principle would persuade himself..that it is ill to desire death. 1662 R. Mathew Unl. Alch. §86. 120 Surly griefs, as Sciatica and Gout in the feet. a 1668 R. Lassels Voy. Italy (1698) I. 46 Our horses eased us, the ascent not being so surly as we expected. 1693 Evelyn De la Quint. Compl. Gard. II. 195 In a surly Season. 1696 Prior To the King after Discov. Conspiracy 70 By sounding Trumpets, mark, and surly Drums, When William to the open Vengeance comes. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. i. 154 Before the surly Clod resists the Rake. 1733 W. Ellis Chiltern & Vale Farm. 11 Their surly Clay Grounds. 1784 Burns Man made to Mourn i, Chill November's surly blast. 1871 R. Ellis Catullus lxiii. 16 The surly salt seas. 1881 C. Whitehead Hops 19 Where the marls on the chalk are somewhat less surly and intractable. 1901 Munsey's Mag. (U.S.) XXIV. 796/1 The straight, flat, surly clouds. |
5. Comb., as
surly-browed,
surly-looking,
surly-sounding adjs.;
surly-boots [
cf. lazy-boots,
sly-boots], an appellation for a surly person;
† surly-borne a., haughty in bearing or demeanour.
| 1710 Fanatick Feast 12 Old *Surly-Boots..threw off his Cloak. 1812 Combe Syntax, Picturesque xxii, When Surly-boots yawn'd wide, and spoke. |
| 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. ii. iii. 249 Vliss. If he were proud. Diom. Or couetous of praise. Vliss. I, or *surley borne. |
| a 1618 Sylvester Panaretus 1373 So swelling-proud; so *surly-brow'd the while. |
| 1904 W. H. Hudson Green Mansions vii. 97 Two dogs..They were *surly-looking brutes. 1954 W. Faulkner Fable 141 Followed by a thin wiry surly-looking private. |
| 1833 T. Hook Parson's Dau. iii. i, The *surly-sounding mandate. |
▪ II. surly obs. form of
surely.