curt
adjective /kɜːt/
/kɝːt/ disapprovingDefinition
› If someone's manner or speech is curt, it is rude as a result of being very quick: to give a curt nod/reply The boss was rather curt with him.Blunt and direct in speech and behaviourNot saying muchNot being friendlyNot saying muchBlunt and direct in speech and behaviourNot being friendlyDigressing and being indirect or evasive curtly /ˈkɜːt.li/
/ˈkɝːt-/ adverb › Steve answered curtly and turned his back on me.Blunt and direct in speech and behaviourNot saying muchNot being friendlyNot saying muchBlunt and direct in speech and behaviourNot being friendlyDigressing and being indirect or evasive curtness /ˈkɜːt.nəs/
/ˈkɝːt-/ noun [U] › Claire's curtness made him wonder what he'd done wrong.Blunt and direct in speech and behaviourNot saying muchNot being friendlyNot saying muchBlunt and direct in speech and behaviourNot being friendlyDigressing and being indirect or evasive
/ˈkɝːt-/ adverb › Steve answered curtly and turned his back on me.Blunt and direct in speech and behaviourNot saying muchNot being friendlyNot saying muchBlunt and direct in speech and behaviourNot being friendlyDigressing and being indirect or evasive curtness /ˈkɜːt.nəs/
/ˈkɝːt-/ noun [U] › Claire's curtness made him wonder what he'd done wrong.Blunt and direct in speech and behaviourNot saying muchNot being friendlyNot saying muchBlunt and direct in speech and behaviourNot being friendlyDigressing and being indirect or evasive(Definition of curt adjective from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
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Synonyms and related words:
- a few well-chosen words idiom
- a man/woman of few words idiom
- brevity noun
- brief adjective (SHORT IN TIME)
- brief noun (SHORT FORM)
- briefly adverb (FEW WORDS)
- concise adjective
- crisp adjective (CLEAR)
- gnomic adjective
- has the cat got your tongue? idiom
- monosyllabic adjective (PERSON)
- not waste words idiom
- pithy adjective (SHORT)
- quietly adverb
- short adjective (TIME)
- succinct adjective
- taciturn adjective
- taut adjective (WRITING/SPEECH)
- terse adjective
- walls have ears idiom
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Not saying much
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