The cantankerous old maiden aunt. --Thackeray. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
cantankerous — index contentious, fractious, froward, hostile, inflexible, negative, perverse, petulant, restive … Law dictionary
cantankerous — 1772, said to be a Wiltshire word, probably an alteration (influenced by raucous) of M.E. contakour troublemaker (c.1300), from Anglo Fr. contec discord, strife, from O.Fr. contechier, from con with + teche, related to atachier hold fast (see… … Etymology dictionary
cantankerous — [adj] difficult, crabby badtempered, bearish, captious, choleric, contrary, cranky, critical, cross, crotchety*, crusty*, disagreeable, dour, grouchy*, grumpy*, huffy*, ill humored, ill natured, irascible, irritable, morose, obstinate, ornery*,… … New thesaurus
cantankerous — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ bad tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative. DERIVATIVES cantankerously adverb cantankerousness noun. ORIGIN perhaps a blend of Anglo Irish cant «auction» and rancorous … English terms dictionary
cantankerous — [kan taŋ′kər əs] adj. [prob. < ME contakour, troublemaker (< Anglo Fr < contec, discord) + OUS] bad tempered; quarrelsome cantankerously adv. cantankerousness n … English World dictionary
cantankerous — [[t]kæntæ̱ŋkərəs[/t]] ADJ GRADED: usu ADJ n Someone who is cantankerous is always finding things to argue or complain about. [WRITTEN] ...a cantankerous old man … English dictionary
cantankerous — adjective Etymology: perhaps irregular from obsolete contack contention Date: 1772 difficult or irritating to deal with < a cantankerous mule > • cantankerously adverb • cantankerousness noun … New Collegiate Dictionary
cantankerous — cantankerously, adv. cantankerousness, n. /kan tang keuhr euhs/, adj. disagreeable to deal with; contentious; peevish: a cantankerous, argumentative man. [1765 75; perh. var. of earlier *contenkerous, reflecting CONTENTIOUS, RANCOROUS] * * * … Universalium
cantankerous — adjective /kænˈtæŋkəɹəs,kənˈtæŋkəɹəs/ Stubborn, bad tempered, cranky, surly, ill humored, irritable. The cantankerous landlord always grumbled when asked to fix something … Wiktionary
cantankerous — can|tan|ker|ous [kænˈtæŋkərəs] adj [Date: 1700 1800; Origin: Perhaps from conteck quarreling (13 17 centuries)] bad tempered and complaining a lot ▪ a cantankerous old man … Dictionary of contemporary English
