curt

Also found in: Thesaurus, Acronyms, Wikipedia.

curt

(kûrt)

adj. curt·er, curt·est

1. Rudely brief or abrupt, as in speech or manner: was curt and businesslike in the meeting; acknowledged him with a curt nod. See Synonyms at gruff.

2. Terse or condensed: a curt text message.

[Middle English, short, brief, from Anglo-Norman, from Latin curtus; see sker- in Indo-European roots.]

curt′ly adv.

curt′ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

curt

(kɜːt)

adj

1. rudely blunt and brief; abrupt: a curt reply.

2. short or concise

[C17: from Latin curtus cut short, mutilated]

ˈcurtly adv

ˈcurtness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

curt

(kɜrt)

adj. -er, -est.

1. rudely brief in speech or abrupt in manner.

2. brief; concise; terse.

3. short; shortened.

[1620–30; < Latin curtus shortened]

curt′ly, adv.

curt′ness, n.

syn: See blunt.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Adj.	1.	curt - marked by rude or peremptory shortness; "try to cultivate a less brusque manner"; "a curt reply"; "the salesgirl was very short with him" brusk, brusque, short discourteous - showing no courtesy; rude; "a distant and at times discourteous young"
	2.	curt - brief and to the point; effectively cut short; "a crisp retort"; "a response so curt as to be almost rude"; "the laconic reply; `yes'"; "short and terse and easy to understand" laconic, terse, crisp concise - expressing much in few words; "a concise explanation"

curt

adjective terse, short, brief, sharp, summary, blunt, rude, tart, abrupt, gruff, brusque, offhand, ungracious, uncivil, unceremonious, snappish 'The matter is closed,' was his curt reply.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

curt

adjective

Rudely unceremonious:

abrupt, blunt, brief, brusque, crusty, gruff, short, short-spoken.

Translations

مُقْتَضَب، جاف، فَظ

odměřenýúsečný

afmåltkort for hovedet

barschCurdkurz angebunden unverbindlich

stuttaralegur

atžarumastrumpai ir atžariaitrumpas ir atžarus

aprautsstrups

kabanezaketsizce kısa

简略的草率的

curt

[kɜːt] ADJ [person, tone] → seco, corto; [nod] → brusco

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

curt

[ˈkɜː^rt] adj [person] → brusque, sec(sèche); [response, reply] → brusque, sec(sèche); [tone] → sec(sèche); [nod] → bref(brève)

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

curt

adj (+er) person → kurz angebunden, barsch; verbal reply also → knapp; letter, nod, refusal → kurz, knapp; to be curt with somebody → zu jdm kurz angebunden sein

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

curt

[kɜːt] adj → brusco/a, secco/a
with a curt nod → con un breve cenno del capo

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

curt

(kəːt) adjective

rudely brief. a curt reply.

ˈcurtly adverb

ˈcurtness noun

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

--"After a week's delay, you favor me, my Lord, with a curt reply.

View in context

Hence Quasimodo's gratitude was profound, passionate, boundless; and although the visage of his adopted father was often clouded or severe, although his speech was habitually curt, harsh, imperious, that gratitude never wavered for a single moment.

View in context

For days his voice will not be heard raised about the decks, with that curt, austere accent of the man in charge, till, again, when the hatches are on, and in a silent and expectant ship, he shall speak up from aft in commanding tones: "Man the windlass!"

View in context

"You'll find out quick enough," returned Fairfax, whose curt carelessness did not, however, prevent a slight increase of color on his own cheek.

View in context

We found him lying on the doorstep when we got up, and it did not need Aunt Janet's curt announcement, or Uncle Blair's reluctant shake of the head, to tell us that there was no chance of our pet recovering this time.

View in context

She shook her head in curt negation while, caked in mud and inexpressibly serious-faced, Fyne seemed to be backing her up with all the weight of his solemn presence.

View in context

In front stood the bow-men, ten deep, with a fringe of under-officers, who paced hither and thither marshalling the ranks with curt precept or short rebuke.

View in context

Marilla really did not know how to talk to the child, and her uncomfortable ignorance made her crisp and curt when she did not mean to be.

View in context

But Leslie was brusque and curt when Anne thanked her, and again the latter felt thrown back upon herself.

View in context

In spite of the curt terseness of the word, Nancy quite understood the anxiety that lay behind that short "well?"

View in context

One, abrupt, energetic, with loud, brusque manners, curt, rude speech, dark in tone, in hair, in look, terrible apparently, in reality as impotent as an insurrection, represented the republic admirably.

View in context

He replied to Jenssen's friendly advances in curt monosyllables.

View in context

Full browser ?

CITE

Site: Follow: Share:

Open / Close