Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In a surly manner; crabbedly; morosely.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb In a surly manner.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb In a surly manner.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb in a churlish manner

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

surly +‎ -ly

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Examples

  • "All right," he agreed surlily, "but if I go to the Converter, I want to take this one with me for company."

    Destiny Narrowly Avoided 2010

  • 'No, sir,' answered he surlily; 'we're not so sharp set; we live in Old

    Camilla 2008

  • ‘I care naught about their conversation,’ said Nixon, surlily.

    Redgauntlet 2008

  • Tom could hear, though, that it was about some poaching fight; and at last Grimes said surlily, “Hast thou anything against me?”

    The Water Babies 2007

  • “Because we have naught to say, sir,” answers Evans, almost surlily.

    Westward Ho! 2007

  • Whom Durdles (there being command in his tone) surlily surveys from head to foot.

    The Mystery of Edwin Drood 2007

  • But that gentleman, in reply, surlily damned him for a thief and rebel as he was, and with many disinterested imprecations on his own eyes, liver, blood, and body, assured him that if it rested with him to decide, he would put a final stopper on the bird, and his master too.

    Barnaby Rudge 2007

  • “Hush,” said Scully, rather surlily; for he was thinking how disagreeable it was to support Macabaw; and besides, there were clerks in the room, whom the thoughtless Perkins had not at first perceived.

    The Bedford-Row Conspiracy 2006

  • “How do you do, Monsieur de Florac?” growls the new comer, surlily; and was for moving on after this brief salutation; but having a second thought seemingly, turned back and followed

    The Newcomes 2006

  • Costigan tried to hold Bolton for a moment in genteel conversation, but the other surlily would not.

    The History of Pendennis 2006

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