Laconic

Laconic
Laconic La*con"ic, Laconical La*con"ic*al, a. [L. Laconicus Laconian, Gr. ??, fr. ?? a Laconian, Laced[ae]monian, or Spartan: cf. F. laconique.] 1. Expressing much in few words, after the manner of the Laconians or Spartans; brief and pithy; concise; brusque; epigrammatic. In this sense laconic is the usual form. [1913 Webster]

I grow laconic even beyond laconicism; for sometimes I return only yes, or no, to questionary or petitionary epistles of half a yard long. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

His sense was strong and his style laconic. --Welwood. [1913 Webster]

2. Laconian; characteristic of, or like, the Spartans; hence, stern or severe; cruel; unflinching. [1913 Webster]

His head had now felt the razor, his back the rod; all that laconical discipline pleased him well. --Bp. Hall.

Syn: Short; brief; concise; succinct; sententious; pointed; pithy.

Usage: {Laconic}, {Concise}. Concise means without irrelevant or superfluous matter; it is the opposite of diffuse. Laconic means concise with the additional quality of pithiness, sometimes of brusqueness. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • laconic — LACÓNIC, Ă, laconici, ce, adj. (Despre vorbire, stil) Care se exprimă în puţine cuvinte; scurt, succint, concis, lapidar. ♦ (Despre oameni) Care vorbeşte puţin (şi precis). – Din fr. laconique. Trimis de ana zecheru, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98 … …   Dicționar Român

  • Laconic — La*con ic, n. Laconism. [Obs.] Addison. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • laconic — I adjective abbreviated, abridged, adstrictus, brevis, brief, brusque, closemouthed, compendious, compressed, concise, condensed, contracted, curt, economical of words, epigrammatic, exact, mum, pauciloquent, pithy, pointed, precise, quiet,… …   Law dictionary

  • laconic — (adj.) concise, abrupt, 1580s, probably via L. Laconicus, from Gk. Lakonikos, from Lakon person from Lakonia, the district around Sparta in southern Greece in ancient times, whose inhabitants were famously proud of their brevity of speech. When… …   Etymology dictionary

  • laconic — succinct, terse, *concise, summary, pithy, compendious Analogous words: curt, brusque (see BLUFF): *brief, short Antonyms: verbose Contrasted words: *wordy, prolix, diffuse: loquacious, *talkative, voluble, glib, garrulous …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • laconic — [adj] short, to the point breviloquent, brief, brusque, compact, compendiary, compendious, concise, crisp, curt, pithy, sententious, short and sweet*, succinct, terse; concepts 267,773,798 Ant. long winded, verbose, wordy …   New thesaurus

  • laconic — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ using very few words; terse. DERIVATIVES laconically adverb. ORIGIN Greek Lak nikos, from Lak n Laconia, Sparta , the Spartans being known for their terse speech …   English terms dictionary

  • laconic — [lə kän′ik] adj. [L Laconicus < Gr Lakōnikos, Laconian < Lakōn, a Laconian, Spartan] brief or terse in speech or expression; using few words SYN. CONCISE laconically adv …   English World dictionary

  • Laconic —    Laconia, that ancient Greek country of which Lacedaemon or Sparta was the capital, was the land of the Spartans. Sparta was also known as Laconia, and Spartans as Laconians. These people were noted for their parsimonious speech. The name of… …   Dictionary of eponyms

  • laconic — [[t]ləkɒ̱nɪk[/t]] ADJ GRADED If you describe someone as laconic, you mean that they use very few words to say something, so that they seem casual or unfriendly. Usually so laconic in the office, Dr. Lahey seemed less guarded, more relaxed... At… …   English dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”