- churl
- A freeman of one of the lowest classes. See karl.
Ballentine's law dictionary. Anderson, W.S.. 1998.
churl
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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}.]… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
churl — churl; churl·ish; churl·ish·ly; churl·ish·ness; … English syllables
churl — (chûrl) n. 1) A rude, boorish person. See Synonyms at BOOR(Cf. ↑boor). 2) A miserly person. 3) a) A ceorl. b) A medieval English peasant. ╂ [Middle English, from Old English ceorl, peasant.] … Word Histories
Churl — Churl, a. Churlish; rough; selfish. [Obs.] Ford. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
churl — O.E. ceorl peasant, freeman, man without rank, from P.Gmc. *kerlaz, *karlaz (Cf. O.Fris. zerl man, fellow, M.L.G. kerle, Du. kerel, Ger. Kerl man, husband, O.N. karl old man, man ). It had various meaning in early M.E., including man of the… … Etymology dictionary
churl — n *boor, lout, clown, clodhopper, bumpkin, hick, yokel, rube Antonyms: *gentleman, aristocrat … New Dictionary of Synonyms
churl — [n] rude and ill bred, a boor; person overly concerned with saving money beast, chuff, clodhopper*, miser, mucker*, niggard*, oaf, peasant, provincial, rustic, tightwad, yokel; concept 423 … New thesaurus
churl — ► NOUN 1) an impolite and mean spirited person. 2) archaic a peasant. ORIGIN Old English … English terms dictionary
churl — [chʉrl] n. [ME cherl < OE ceorl, peasant, freeman: for IE base see CORN1] 1. CEORL 2. a farm laborer; peasant 3. a surly, ill bred person; boor 4. a selfish or mean person … English World dictionary
Churl — A churl (etymologically the same name as Charles / Carl and Old High German karal), in its earliest Old English (Anglo Saxon) meaning, was simply a man , but the word soon came to mean a non servile peasant , still spelt ċeorl(e), and denoting… … Wikipedia
churl — /cherrl/, n. 1. a rude, boorish, or surly person. 2. a peasant; rustic. 3. a niggard; miser: He was a churl in his affections. 4. Eng. Hist. a freeman of the lowest rank. [bef. 900; ME cherl, OE ceorl man, freeman; c. D kerel, G Kerl; akin to… … Universalium
