brusk

[KatyBr]

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj. 1. brusk - marked by rude or peremptory shortness; "try to cultivate a less brusque manner"; "a curt reply"; "the salesgirl was very short with him"
brusque, curt, short
discourteous - showing no courtesy; rude; "a distant and at times discourteous young"

Examples from classic literature: More
Tulliver liked to call the father's attention to Maggie's hair and other unexpected virtues, but he had a brusk reply to give.
The Mill on the Floss by Eliot, George see also:
brusque also brusk (brsk)
adj.
Abrupt and curt in manner or speech; discourteously blunt. See Synonyms at gruff.



[French, lively, fierce, from Italian brusco, coarse, rough, from Late Latin brscum, perhaps blend of Latin rscus, butcher's broom, and Late Latin brcus, heather; see briar1.]


brusquely adv.
brusqueness n.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/brusk

Trying hard not to be brusk, but this is all I have to say on the subject.

Katy

[tcward]

Giving us the ol' brush off, eh?

-Tim

[KatyBr]

Nope

Katy

[Stargzer]

Giving us the ol' brush off, eh?

-Tim

That would be "the ol-brusk-off."

[anders]

[French, lively, fierce, from Italian brusco, coarse, rough, from Late Latin brscum, perhaps blend of Latin rscus, butcher's broom, and Late Latin brcus, heather; see briar1.]

"Late Latin brscum" should probably be "bruscum". I think that "butcher's broom" refers to the plant Ruscus aculeatus. It has a Swedish name, stickmyrten, myrten = myrtle, but it is not found in Sweden. For "Late Latin brcus", I find in an 1832 dictionary "brūchus, l. (should mean late) brūcus, [Swedish:] 'grass worm'" and an ancient quotation "locustæ similis" 'resembling a locust'.

Anyway, those words seem to relate to an IE root *wer-, which at least you oldtimers will recognize from discussions elsewhere on wriggling, and on worms and such small deer.