surliness en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree English surly Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English surliness From surly + -ness.
Meanings
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(uncountable, usually) The property of being surly.
There has been an escalation of police harassment in the gay community: five brutal busts at the Crystal Hotel; the closing of sex clubs without notice; beatings of women outside Amelia's Bar in January and surliness and assaults against lesbians by off duty officers at Peg's Club later.
1979 August 4, Carl Wittman, “Streets of San Francisco”, in Gay Community News, page 12:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| surlinesses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |