- Brute
- Brute Brute, a. [F. brut, nasc., brute, fem., raw, rough,
rude, brutish, L. brutus stupid, irrational: cf. It. & Sp.
bruto.]
1. Not having sensation; senseless; inanimate; unconscious;
without intelligence or volition; as, the brute earth; the
brute powers of nature.
[1913 Webster]
2. Not possessing reason, irrational; unthinking; as, a brute beast; the brute creation. [1913 Webster]
A creature . . . not prone And brute as other creatures, but endued With sanctity of reason. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
3. Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of, a brute beast. Hence: Brutal; cruel; fierce; ferocious; savage; pitiless; as, brute violence. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
The influence of capital and mere brute labor. --Playfair. [1913 Webster]
4. Having the physical powers predominating over the mental; coarse; unpolished; unintelligent. [1913 Webster]
A great brute farmer from Liddesdale. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]
5. Rough; uncivilized; unfeeling. [R.] [1913 Webster]
{brute force}, The application of predominantly physical effort to achieve a goal that could be accomplished with less effort if more carefully considered. Figuratively, repetitive or strenuous application of an obvious or simple tactic, as contrasted with a more clever stratagem achieving the same goal with less effort; -- as, the first prime numbers were discovered by the brute force repetition of the {Sieve of Eratosthenes}. [PJC]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.