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rude definition

rude (ro̵̅o̅d)

adjective ruder rud′er, rudest rud′·est

  1. crude or rough in form or workmanship a rude hut
  2. barbarous or ignorant rude savages
    1. lacking refinement, culture, or elegance; uncouth, boorish, coarse, vulgar, etc.
    2. Brit., Informal indecent; obscene a rude joke
  3. discourteous; unmannerly a rude reply
  4. rough, violent, or harsh a rude awakening
  5. harsh in sound; discordant; not musical rude tones
  6. having or showing little skill or development; primitive rude drawings
  7. not carefully worked out or finished; not precise a rude appraisal
  8. sturdy; robust; rugged rude health

Etymology: OFr < L rudis, akin to rudus, debris, rubble < IE *reud-, to tear apart < base *reu-, to tear out, dig up > rug, rotten

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

rude Synonyms

rude

modif.

  1. Boorish

    coarse, rough, uncouth, gauche, rustic, ungainly, awkward, lubberly, crude, vulgar, gross, crass, unrefined, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, uncivilized, blunt, rugged, barbarous, lumpish, ungraceful, hulking, loutish, oafish, antic, rowdy, disorderly, rowdyish, brutish, clownish, stupid, untrained, indecorous, unknowing, untaught, slovenly, ill-bred, inelegant, ignorant, inexpert, illiterate, clumsy, gawky, slouching, graceless, ungraceful, lumbering, green, unacquainted, unenlightened, uneducated, indecent, ribald, homely, common, outlandish, disgraceful, inappropriate, hayseed*, hick*. *

    Antonyms cultured*, urbane*, suave. *

  2. Not polite

    impolite, discourteous, ill-mannered, uncivil, churlish, sullen, surly, sharp, harsh, gruff, brusque, blunt, abrupt, tactless, curt, short, snappish, snarling, ungracious, unkind, ungentle, truculent, crabbed, sour, disdainful, unmannerly, improper, shabby, ill-chosen, ungentlemanly, fresh, abusive, forward, loud, loud-mouthed, boorish, bold, brazen, audacious, brash, arrogant, supercilious, blustering, crass, raw, saucy, impudent, pert, unabashed, contumelious, sharp-tongued, mocking, barefaced, insolent, impertinent, offensive, uncalled-for, vituperative, naughty, hostile, insulting, nasty, disrespectful, scornful, flippant, presumptuous, sarcastic, defiant, outrageous, imperious, swaggering, disparaging, contemptuous, unfeeling, insensitive, scoffing, scurrilous, disagreeable, domineering, overbearing, high-handed, self-assertive, brutal, severe, hard, cocky, bullying, cheeky, nervy, assuming, dictatorial, magisterial, officious, meddling, intrusive, meddlesome, acrimonious, bitter, uncivilized, ill-tempered, bad-tempered, snippy*, sassy*, flip*, snotty*, snooty*, brassy*, uppity*, crusty*, bold as brass*.

    Antonyms polite*, courteous*, mannerly. *

  3. Harsh

    rough, violent, stormy; see turbulent.

  4. Approximate

    guessed, surmised, imprecise; see approximate.

  5. Coarse

    rough, roughhewn, unpolished, ill-proportioned; see crude 1.

  6. Primitive

    ignorant, uncivilized, barbarous; see primitive 3.

rude, in this comparison, implies a deliberate lack of consideration for others' feelings and connotes, especially, insolence, impudence, etc. it was rude of you to ignore your uncle; ill-mannered suggests ignorance of the amenities of social behavior rather than deliberate rudeness a well-meaning but ill-mannered fellow; boorish now connotes insensitivity and is applied to one who is rude or ill-mannered in a coarse, loud, or overbearing way; impolite implies merely a failure to observe the forms of polite society it would be impolite to leave so early; discourteous suggests a lack of dignified consideration for others a discourteous reply; uncivil implies a disregarding of even the most elementary of good manners her uncivil treatment of the waiter


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

rude Usage Examples

Infinitive complement

  • interrupt: It's just that he thought it was rude to interrupt.

Modifies a noun

  • awakening: There was to be a rude awakening, however, for all at Elland Road.

Modifying Another Word

  • downright: The degree of tact ranged from courteous to downright rude.

Used with adjective complement

  • appear: Not shaking hands in this highly formal context would appear rude.
rude usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

rude quotes

A manner rude and wild Is common at your age.

-Belloc, (Joseph) Hilaire Pierre

She was not really bad at heart, But only rather rude and wild; She was an aggravating child.

-Belloc, (Joseph) Hilaire Pierre

It'snot a slamat you whenpeoplearerudeöit's a slamat the people they've met before.

-Fitzgerald, F(rancis) Scott Key

rude quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"rude." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/rude>

APA Style

rude. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/rude

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