Hypertext Webster Gateway: "churl"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Churl
in Isa. 32:5 (R.V. marg., "crafty"), means a deceiver. In 1 Sam.
25:3, the word churlish denotes a man that is coarse and
ill-natured, or, as the word literally means, "hard." The same
Greek word as used by the LXX. here is found in Matt. 25:24, and
there is rendered "hard."
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Churl \Churl\, n. [AS. ceorl a freeman of the lowest rank, man,
husband; akin to D. karel, kerel, G. kerl, Dan. & Sw. karl,
Icel. karl, and to the E. proper name Charles (orig., man,
male), and perh. to Skr. j[=a]ra lover. Cf. {Carl},
{Charles's Wain}.]
1. A rustic; a countryman or laborer. ``A peasant or churl.''
--Spenser.
Your rank is all reversed; let men of cloth Bow to
the stalwart churls in overalls. --Emerson.
2. A rough, surly, ill-bred man; a boor.
A churl's courtesy rarely comes, but either for gain
or falsehood. --Sir P.
Sidney.
3. A selfish miser; an illiberal person; a niggard.
Like to some rich churl hoarding up his pelf.
--Drayton.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Churl \Churl\, a.
Churlish; rough; selfish. [Obs.] --Ford.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
churl
n 1: a crude uncouth ill-bred person lacking culture or
refinement [syn: {peasant}, {barbarian}, {boor}, {Goth},
{tyke}, {tike}]
2: a selfish person who is unwilling to give or spend [syn: {niggard},
{skinflint}, {scrooge}]
3: a bad-tempered person [syn: {grouch}, {grump}, {crank}, {crosspatch}]
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