The word surly has its origin in Middle English and is taken from the word sirly. Sirly means masterful or lordly. Surly is an adjective and is used to describe someone who is bad-tempered or ill-tempered. For example: a surly manager. It describes the manager to be rude and unfriendly. Someone who is menacingly irritable is also referred to as surly. For example: a surly old dog.
Surly can be used in relation to weather conditions which are threatening. For example: surly sky. It indicates that the sky did not show bright conditions. The sky was gloomy and cloudy conditions. Another meaning that has become obsolete is arrogant and domineering. Bearish, boorish, perverse, rude, saturnine, sulky, sullen, uncivil, ungracious, grouchy, discourteous and churlish are some of the words that could be used for surly.
Surly can be used in relation to weather conditions which are threatening. For example: surly sky. It indicates that the sky did not show bright conditions. The sky was gloomy and cloudy conditions. Another meaning that has become obsolete is arrogant and domineering. Bearish, boorish, perverse, rude, saturnine, sulky, sullen, uncivil, ungracious, grouchy, discourteous and churlish are some of the words that could be used for surly.
