Cruelty

Cruelty
Cruelty Cru"el*ty (-t[y^]), n.; pl. {Cruelties} (-t[i^]z). [OF. cruelt['e], F. cruaut['e], fr. L. crudelitas, fr. crudelis. See {Cruel}.] [1913 Webster] 1. The attribute or quality of being cruel; a disposition to give unnecessary pain or suffering to others; inhumanity; barbarity. [1913 Webster]

Pierced through the heart with your stern cruelty. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. A cruel and barbarous deed; inhuman treatment; the act of willfully causing unnecessary pain. [1913 Webster]

Cruelties worthy of the dungeons of the Inquisition.

Macaulay. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • cruelty — cru·el·ty n pl ties 1 a: an intentional or criminally negligent act that causes pain and suffering cruelty to animals cruelty to children b: mistreatment or neglect that causes pain and suffering compare abuse …   Law dictionary

  • cruelty — early 13c., from O.Fr. crualté (12c., Mod.Fr. cruauté), from L. crudelitatem (nom. crudelitas) cruelty, from crudelis (see CRUEL (Cf. cruel)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • cruelty — [n] brutality, harshness animality, barbarism, barbarity, bestiality, bloodthirstiness, brutishness, callousness, coarseness, coldness, depravity, despotism, ferocity, fiendishness, fierceness, hard heartedness, heartlessness, inhumanity,… …   New thesaurus

  • cruelty — ► NOUN (pl. cruelties) ▪ cruel behaviour or attitudes …   English terms dictionary

  • cruelty — [kro͞o′əltē] n. [ME cruelte < OFr < L crudelitas < CRUEL] 1. the quality or condition of being cruel; inhumanity; hardheartedness 2. pl. cruelties a cruel action, remark, etc. 3. Law willful infliction of physical pain or suffering upon… …   English World dictionary

  • cruelty — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ extreme, great ▪ an act of extreme cruelty ▪ deliberate (esp. BrE) ▪ casual ▪ mental …   Collocations dictionary

  • cruelty — n. 1) to demonstrate, display cruelty 2) consummate, deliberate, wanton cruelty 3) mental cruelty 4) cruelty to, towards (cruelty to animals) * * * [ kruːəltɪ] deliberate displaycruelty wanton cruelty towards (cruelty to animals) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • cruelty — cru|el|ty [ˈkru:əlti] n plural cruelties 1.) [U and C] behaviour or actions that deliberately cause pain to people or animals ≠ ↑kindness ▪ The children had suffered cruelty and neglect. ▪ There was a hint of cruelty in Brian s smile. cruelty to… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • cruelty */ — UK [ˈkruːəltɪ] / US [ˈkruəltɪ] noun Word forms cruelty : singular cruelty plural cruelties 1) [countable/uncountable] behaviour that deliberately causes pain to other people or animals, or that makes them unhappy or upset She was shocked by the… …   English dictionary

  • cruelty — The intentional and malicious infliction of physical or mental suffering upon living creatures, particularly human beings; or, as applied to the latter, the wanton, malicious, and unnecessary infliction of pain upon the body, or the feelings and… …   Black's law dictionary

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