Cruel

//ˈkɹuːəl// adj, adv, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Intentionally causing or reveling in pain and suffering; merciless, heartless.

    "The supervisor was very cruel to Josh, as he would always give Josh the hardest, most degrading work he could find."

  2. 2
    Harsh; severe.

    "We're certainly having quite a cruel winter this year."

  3. 3
    Cool; awesome; neat. slang
Adjective
  1. 1
    (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    To a great degree; terribly. nonstandard, not-comparable

    ""But I've served 'im ten years, and I'm fond of 'im, and, mind you, 'e's a great man, when all's said an' done, and it's an honor to serve 'im. But 'e does try one cruel at times.""

Noun
  1. 1
    Alternative form of crewel. alt-of, alternative, countable, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To spoil or ruin (one's chance of success) Australia, New-Zealand

    "What cruelled him was that Imperial Hotel contract."

  2. 2
    To violently provoke (a child) in the belief that this will make them more assertive. Australia, ambitransitive

    "Violence is apparently introduced early by the practice of "cruelling": children even in their first months are physically punished and then encouraged to seek retribution by punishing the punisher."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English cruel, borrowed from Old French cruel, from Latin crūdēlis (“hard, severe, cruel”), akin to crūdus (“raw, crude”); see crude.

Etymology 2

From Middle English cruel, borrowed from Old French cruel, from Latin crūdēlis (“hard, severe, cruel”), akin to crūdus (“raw, crude”); see crude.

Etymology 3

From Middle English cruel, borrowed from Old French cruel, from Latin crūdēlis (“hard, severe, cruel”), akin to crūdus (“raw, crude”); see crude.

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