uncouth

uncouth
\ \ [OE] Uncouth originally meant ‘unknown’ or ‘unfamiliar’ – a sense which survived into the 17th century (‘Now the whole superficies of the earth as well uncouth as discovered, is but a little point’, John Boys, Works 1616). ‘Crude, awkward’ is a secondary development, first recorded in the 16th century.
\ \ The word was formed in the prehistoric Germanic period from the prefix un- ‘not’ and the past participle of *kunnanknow’ (whose closest living English relative is could).
\ \ Cf.COULD

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Uncouth — Un*couth , a. [OE. uncouth, AS. unc?? unknown, strange: un (see {Un } not) + c?? known, p. p. of cunnan to know. See {Can} to be able, and cf. {Unco}, {Unked}.] 1. Unknown. [Obs.] This uncouth errand. Milton. [1913 Webster] To leave the good that …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • uncouth — I adjective agrestis, awkward, barbaric, barbarous, boorish, brutish, callow, churlish, clownish, clumsy, coarse, crass, crude, discourteous, doltish, gawky, graceless, gross, heavy handed, ill bred, ill mannered, impolite, incultus, indelicate,… …   Law dictionary

  • uncouth — (adj.) O.E. uncuð unknown, uncertain, unfamiliar, from UN (Cf. un ) (1) not + cuð known, well known, pp. of cunnan to know (see CAN (Cf. can) (v.)). Meaning strange, crude, clumsy is first recorded 1510s. The compound (and the thing it describes) …   Etymology dictionary

  • uncouth — *rude, rough, crude, raw, callow, green Analogous words: *awkward, clumsy, gauche …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • uncouth — [adj] clumsy, uncultivated awkward, barbaric, boorish, cheap, clownish, coarse, crass, crude, discourteous, disgracious, gawky, graceless, gross, heavy handed, ill bred, illmannered, impertinent, impolite, inelegant, loud, loud mouthed, loutish,… …   New thesaurus

  • uncouth — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ lacking good manners, refinement, or grace. ORIGIN Old English, «unknown» …   English terms dictionary

  • uncouth — [unko͞oth′] adj. [ME < OE uncuth, unknown < un , not + cuth, pp. of cunnan, to know: see CAN1] 1. Archaic not known or familiar; strange 2. awkward; clumsy; ungainly 3. uncultured; crude; boorish uncouthly adv. uncouthness n …   English World dictionary

  • uncouth — adj. 1 (of a person, manners, appearance, etc.) lacking in ease and polish; uncultured, rough (uncouth voices; behaviour was uncouth). 2 archaic not known; desolate; wild; uncivilized (an uncouth place). Derivatives: uncouthly adv. uncouthness n …   Useful english dictionary

  • uncouth — uncouthly, adv. uncouthness, n. /un koohth /, adj. 1. awkward, clumsy, or unmannerly: uncouth behavior; an uncouth relative who embarrasses the family. 2. strange and ungraceful in appearance or form. 3. unusual or strange. [bef. 900; ME; OE… …   Universalium

  • uncouth — [OE] Uncouth originally meant ‘unknown’ or ‘unfamiliar’ – a sense which survived into the 17th century (‘Now the whole superficies of the earth as well uncouth as discovered, is but a little point’, John Boys, Works 1616). ‘Crude, awkward’ is a… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • uncouth — [[t]ʌ̱nku͟ːθ[/t]] ADJ GRADED (disapproval) If you describe a person as uncouth, you mean that their behaviour is rude, noisy, and unpleasant. ...that oafish, uncouth person. Syn: coarse …   English dictionary

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