Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Mister; fellow. Used as a contemptuous form of address.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A word of address, generally equivalent to “fellow,” or to “sir” with an angry or contemptuous force.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A term of address implying inferiority and used in anger, contempt, reproach, or disrespectful familiarity, addressed to a man or boy, but sometimes to a woman. In sililoquies often preceded by
ah . Not used in the plural.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun obsolete a term of address to an inferior male or more commonly a child. A modern day equivalent would be "little man".
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun formerly a contemptuous term of address to an inferior man or boy; often used in anger
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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You should see some of OUR outfits before you knock biker shorts, sirrah.
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Then, louder, she added in what was almost a roar, “Stand aside, sirrah!”
Shameless KAREN ROBARDS 2010
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Then, louder, she added in what was almost a roar, “Stand aside, sirrah!”
Shameless KAREN ROBARDS 2010
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To talk of dragons, sirrah, living ones, in the court of King Kenneret Death-of-Dragons, is to talk treason.
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To talk of dragons, sirrah, living ones, in the court of King Kenneret Death-of-Dragons, is to talk treason.
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“Out, sirrah!” exclaimed one of the champions, “will you, a wandering beggar, put yourself on terms of resistance against belted knights?”
Quentin Durward 2008
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“Peace, sirrah!” said the Count of Crevecoeur, “your tongue runs too fast.”
Quentin Durward 2008
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Thou, sirrah, tell me straight the country whence thou camest thither.
The Heracleidae 2008
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Ho, sirrah! what art thou about? taking a stealthy pull at the wine?
The Cyclops 2008
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By whom? who has been pounding thy head, old sirrah?
The Cyclops 2008
arby commented on the word sirrah
This word needs to come back into fashion. Wordies, make it so!
October 4, 2007
reesetee commented on the word sirrah
I like it too--but wasn't it originally a contemptuous form of address?
October 4, 2007
arby commented on the word sirrah
You're right! I was using it somewhat ironically. Or as an alternative to "yes sirree!"
The Free Dictionary says:
(noun) Formerly a contemptuous term of address to an inferior man or boy; often used in anger
male person, male - a person who belongs to the sex that cannot have babies
OED says:
1526, term of address used to men or boys expressing anger or contempt, archaic extended form of sir (in U.S., siree, attested from 1823).
October 4, 2007
reesetee commented on the word sirrah
Aha. I didn't see the irony on the page. Forgive me, yes siree!
October 4, 2007
seanahan commented on the word sirrah
Que Sirrah Sirrah! Whatever will be, will be.
October 4, 2007
arby commented on the word sirrah
*groans*
October 4, 2007
arby commented on the word sirrah
The punny, it burns...and the goggles do nothing - nothing!
October 4, 2007
bilby commented on the word sirrah
"MENENIUS: Sirrah, if thy captain knew I were here he would use me with estimation."
- William Shakespeare, 'The Tragedy of Coriolanus'.
August 29, 2009