Search the Dictionary

The quality or state of being polite; refinement of manners; urbanity; courteous behavior; complaisance; obliging attentions.

ck; to offer sudden resistance to; to check; to repel or repulse violently, harshly, or uncourteously.

ity, taunt, or witticism; a quick and witty or severe response. This is called the retort courteous. Shak.

Not courteous or kind; harsh; rude; uncivil; as, a rough temper. A fiend, a fury, pitiless and rough. Shak. A surly boatman, rough as wayes or winds. Prior.

dering service; capable of, or fit for, the performance of duty; hence, active; diligent. Courteous he was, lowly, and servysable. Chaucer. Bright-hearnessed angels sit in order serviceable. Milton. Seeing her so sweet and serviceable. Tennnyson. -- Serv"ice*a*ble*ness, n. -- Serv"ice*a*bly, adv.

Expressing gentleness, tenderness, or the like; mild; conciliatory; courteous; kind; as, soft eyes. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Prov. xv. 1. A face with gladness overspread, Soft smiles, by human kindness bred. Wordsworth.

th, or as with, a tag or tags. He learned to make long-tagged thread laces. Macaulay. His courteous host . . . Tags every sentence with some fawning word. Dryden.

Not civil; not complaisant; discourteous; impolite; rude; unpolished; as, uncivil behavior.

Courteous in manners; polite; refined; elegant.

nduct; behavior. [Obs.] A gentle nymph was found, Hight Astery, excelling all the crew In courteous usage. Spenser.

Abusive, reproachful language; discourteous speech; foul talk. [Archaic] He never yet not vileinye ne said In all his life, unto no manner wight. Chaucer. In our modern language, it [foul language] is termed villainy, as being proper for rustic boors, or men of coarsest education and employment. Barrow. Villainy till a…

as of the hand; to signify by waving; to beckon; to signal; to indicate. Look, with what courteous action It waves you to a more removed ground. Shak. She spoke, and bowing waved Dismissal. Tennyson.

Polite; well-bred; complaisant; courteous. Dryden.