different between boisterous vs harsh

English

Etymology

From Middle English boistres, an alteration of Middle English boistous, from Anglo-Norman bustous (“rough”), perhaps from Old French boitous (“noisy”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b??st???s/

Adjective

boisterous (comparative more boisterous, superlative most boisterous)

1. Full of energy; exuberant; noisy.
2. Characterized by violence and agitation; wild; stormy.
3. Having or resembling animal exuberance.

Derived terms

• boisterously
• boisterousness

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English harsk, harisk(e), hask(e), herris. Century derived the term from Old Norse harskr (whence Danish harsk (“rancid”), dialectal Norwegian hersk, Swedish härsk); the Middle English Dictionary derives it from that and Middle Low German harsch (“rough”, literally “hairy”) (whence also German harsch), from haer (“hair”); the Oxford Dictionary of English derives it from Middle Low German alone.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /h???/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /h???/
• Rhymes: -??(?)?

Adjective

harsh (comparative harsher, superlative harshest)

1. Unpleasantly rough to the touch or other senses.
2. Severe or cruel.

Antonyms

• genteel

Translations

Verb

harsh (third-person singular simple present harshes, present participle harshing, simple past and past participle harshed)

1. (intransitive, slang) To negatively criticize.
2. (transitive, slang) to put a damper on (a mood).

Synonyms

• rough

Derived terms

• harshly
• harshness

Translations