Brunt
name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·College level
Definitions
- 1 The full adverse effects; the chief consequences or negative results of a thing or event.
"Unfortunately, poor areas such as those in New Orleans bore the brunt of Hurricane Katrina’s winds."
- 2 main force of a blow etc wordnet
- 3 The force or shock of an attack in war.
- 4 The major part of something; the bulk.
"If you feel tired of walking, just think of the poor donkey who has carried the brunt of our load."
- 5 A violent attack or charge in battle. obsolete
"Tech[elles]. I heare them come, ſhall wee encounter them? Tam[burlaine]. Keep all your ſtandings, and not ſtir a foot, Myſelfe will bide the danger of the brunt."
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- 6 A sudden harmful onset or attack (of disease, unbelief, persecution, etc.). broadly, obsolete
- 7 A spurt, a sudden effort or straining. obsolete
- 1 To bear the brunt of; to weather or withstand. rare, transitive
""… I say." Ripton resumed the serious intonation, "do you think they'll ever suspect us?" "What if they do? We must brunt it." We brunted the storm."
- 2 To make a violent attack or charge. intransitive, obsolete
- 1 A surname.
Example
More examples"The brunt of criticism was borne by the chairmen."
Etymology
From Middle English brunt, bront (“sudden onset, attack, charge, blow”), from Old Norse brundr or brundtíð (“oestrus, rut”) (from Proto-Germanic *brunstiz), or bruna (“to rush”, literally “to advance like wildfire”) (see brenna).
* As an English surname, from placenames derived from the adjective burnt. Compare Brent. * As an Irish surname, variant of Prunty. * As a Dutch surname, possibly a variant of Bruns.
Related phrases
More for "brunt"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.