Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Mean-spirited, disagreeable, and contrary in disposition; cantankerous.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Ordinary; common; mean; coarse; ugly: a term of depreciation, ranging from mild disapproval to great contempt.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Appalachian
Cantankerous ,stubborn ,disagreeable . - adjective humorous, southern US
Mischievous ,prankish ,teasing ,disagreeable but in a good way. - adjective obsolete
Commonplace ,inferior .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective having a difficult and contrary disposition
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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He especially liked the way it called the ornery cloud Fatso.
Up In A Heaval Anthony, Piers 2002
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Lady Macbeth says: Wouldst thou have that Which thou call the ornery of life, and live a coward in thine own esteem,
Kill Ten Rats 2009
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She says the word "ornery" more than it should be used, and when she tells her dog to get down off the couch, the word "down" has a strong, country twang to it.
Scott Janssen: Chic-fil-A Ruined My Relationship Scott Janssen 2011
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She says the word "ornery" more than it should be used, and when she tells her dog to get down off the couch, the word "down" has a strong, country twang to it.
Scott Janssen: Chic-fil-A Ruined My Relationship Scott Janssen 2011
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He turns out to be Finn Killian someone she'd met and thought "old and kind of ornery" at 21 but now finds mesmerizing.
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They are kind of ornery and independent up there, too.
Another Poll Finds Obama Leading In Historically-Red Virginia 2009
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Gelb, lead singer of the band Giant Sand, and Oldham, from Palace Brothers, are the kind of ornery characters that country music never seems to know what to do with.
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And I have two cats and they ` re kind of ornery, and they ` re able to open the back door, so ...
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But he also struck me a the kind of chap who didn't suffer fools gladly - what the Americans would call an 'ornery' and 'cussed' type.
Archive 2004-04-25 Laban 2004
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But he also struck me a the kind of chap who didn't suffer fools gladly - what the Americans would call an 'ornery' and 'cussed' type.
UK Commentators Laban 2004
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