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Having a hard exterior, or a short, rough manner, though kind at heart; snappish; peevish; surly. Thou crusty batch of nature, what's the news Shak.

ants, or those never having true stamens and pistils, but propagated by spores of various kinds.

A kind of chair formerly used for punishing scolds, and also dishonest tradesmen, by fastening them in it, usually in front of their doors, to be pelted and hooted at by the mob, but sometimes to be taken to the water and ducked; -- called also a castigatory, a tumbrel, and a trebuchet; and often, but not so correctly,…

A species of Ranunculus (R. bulbosus); -- called also butterflower, buttercup, kingcup, goldcup. Shak.

A genus of plants including the cucumber, melon, and same kinds of gourds.

noble, permanently charged with the performance of this office for his master. "I was the king's cupbearer." Neh. i. 11.

A kind of oak-leaf gall. See Gall.

A kind of lichen, of the genus Cladonia.

oak and the chestnut are examples, -- trees bearing a smooth, solid nut inclosed in some kind of cup or bur; bearing, or furnished with, a cupule.

Pertaining to a rude kind of hieroglyphics, in which a thing is represented by its picture instead of by a symbol.

To twist or form into ringlets; to crisp, as the hair. But curl their locks with bodkins and with braid. Cascoigne.

A small kind of seedless raisin, imported from the Levant, chiefly from Zante and Cephalonia; -- used in cookery.

l estimation; the rate at which anything is generally valued. He . . . takes greatness of kingdoms according to their bulk and currency, and not after intrinsic value. Bacon. The bare name of Englishman . . . too often gave a transient currency to the worthless and ungrateful. W. Irving.

A kind of sauce much used in India, containing garlic, pepper, ginger, and other strong spices.

A kind of card or comb having rows of metallic teeth or serrated ridges, used in curryng a horse.

e; to afflict or injure grievously; to harass or torment. On impious realms and barbarous kings impose Thy plagues, and curse 'em with such sons as those. Pope. To curse by bell, book, and candle. See under Bell.

mischievous; malicious; snarling. [Obs.] Though his mind Be ne'er so curst, his tonque is kind. Crashaw.

Of or pertaining to a kind of chair appropriated to Roman magistrates and dignitaries; pertaining to, having, or conferring, the right to sit in the curule chair; hence, official.

A riotous kind of dance, formerly common at weddings; -- called also cushion dance. Halliwell. Cushion capital.(Arch.) A capital so sculptured as to appear like a cushion pressed down by the weight of its entablature. (b) A name given to a form of capital, much used in the Romanesque style, modeled like a bowl, the upp…

A kind of drinking cup. [Obs.]