cantankerous
1Cantankerous — Can*tan ker*ous, a. Perverse; contentious; ugly; malicious. [Colloq.] {Can*tan ker*ous*ly}, adv. {Can*tan ker*ous*ness}, n. [1913 Webster] The cantankerous old maiden aunt. Thackeray. [1913 Webster] …
2cantankerous — index contentious, fractious, froward, hostile, inflexible, negative, perverse, petulant, restive …
3cantankerous — 1772, said to be a Wiltshire word, probably an alteration (influenced by raucous) of M.E. contakour troublemaker (c.1300), from Anglo Fr. contec discord, strife, from O.Fr. contechier, from con with + teche, related to atachier hold fast (see… …
4cantankerous — [adj] difficult, crabby badtempered, bearish, captious, choleric, contrary, cranky, critical, cross, crotchety*, crusty*, disagreeable, dour, grouchy*, grumpy*, huffy*, ill humored, ill natured, irascible, irritable, morose, obstinate, ornery*,… …
5cantankerous — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ bad tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative. DERIVATIVES cantankerously adverb cantankerousness noun. ORIGIN perhaps a blend of Anglo Irish cant «auction» and rancorous …
6cantankerous — [kan taŋ′kər əs] adj. [prob. < ME contakour, troublemaker (< Anglo Fr < contec, discord) + OUS] bad tempered; quarrelsome cantankerously adv. cantankerousness n …
7cantankerous — [[t]kæntæ̱ŋkərəs[/t]] ADJ GRADED: usu ADJ n Someone who is cantankerous is always finding things to argue or complain about. [WRITTEN] ...a cantankerous old man …
8cantankerous — adjective Etymology: perhaps irregular from obsolete contack contention Date: 1772 difficult or irritating to deal with < a cantankerous mule > • cantankerously adverb • cantankerousness noun …
9cantankerous — cantankerously, adv. cantankerousness, n. /kan tang keuhr euhs/, adj. disagreeable to deal with; contentious; peevish: a cantankerous, argumentative man. [1765 75; perh. var. of earlier *contenkerous, reflecting CONTENTIOUS, RANCOROUS] * * * …
10cantankerous — adjective /kænˈtæŋkəɹəs,kənˈtæŋkəɹəs/ Stubborn, bad tempered, cranky, surly, ill humored, irritable. The cantankerous landlord always grumbled when asked to fix something …
