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To cause or permit to become harsh or unkindly. "Souring his cheeks." Shak. Pride had not sour'd nor wrath debased my heart. Harte.

A loud scream; a harsh cry. There oft are heard the notes of infant woe, -The short, thick sob, loud scream, and shriller squall. Pope.

To utter a shrill, abrupt scream; to squeak harshly. Squawking thrush (Zoöl.), the missel turush; -- so called from its note when alarmed. [Prov. Eng.]

Stiff; harsh. [Obs.] Ascham.

vere; rigid; rigorous; austere; fixed; unchanging; unrelenting; hence, serious; resolute; harsh; as, a sternresolve; a stern necessity; a stern heart; a stern gaze; a stern decree. The sterne wind so loud gan to rout. Chaucer. I would outstare the sternest eyes that look. Shak. When that the poor have cried, Cæsar hath…

Harsh; disagreeable; severe; hard to bear. [Obs. or Colloq.] "This is stiff news." Shak.

Characterized by harshness; grating; shrill. "A strident voice." Thackeray.

A harsh, shrill, or creaking noise. Dryden.

easonably obstinate in will or opinion; not yielding to reason or persuasion; refractory; harsh; -- said of persons and things; as, stubborn wills; stubborn ore; a stubborn oak; as stubborn as a mule. "Bow, stubborn knees." Shak. "Stubborn attention and more than common application." Locke. "Stubborn Stoics." Swift. An…

Moderalely acrid or harsh.

Forward; perverse; harsh; sour; rugged. [Obs.] -- Tet"ric*al*ness, n.

d considered as of this or that character; as, a low, high, loud, grave, acute, sweet, or harsh tone. [Harmony divine] smooths her charming tones. Milton. Tones that with seraph hymns might blend. Keble.

e; to melt; to soften. What of sweet before Hath touched my sense, flat seems to this and harsh. Milton. The tender sire was touched with what he said. Addison.

the human voice or a violin. Softly blown, it has a rich and mellow sound, which becomes harsh and blatant when the tones are forced; used with discretion, its effect is often solemn and majestic.

s; as, the piano, or the organ, is not in tune. Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh. Shak.

To sound with a quick, harsh noise; to make the sound of a tense string pulled and suddenly let go; as, the bowstring twanged.

Not charitable; contrary to charity; severe in judging; harsh; censorious; as, uncharitable opinions or zeal. Addison. -- Un*char"i*ta*ble*ness, n. -- Un*char"i*ta*bly, adv.

Not gentle; lacking good breeding or delicacy; harsh. Vicious, ungentle, foolish, blunt, unkind. Shak. That ungentle flavor which distinguishes nearly all our native and uncultivated grapes. Hawthorne. -- Un*gen"tle*ness, n. -- Un*gen"tly, adv.

Unpleasing; unacceptable; disagreeable; as, harsh sounds are ungrateful to the ear. -- Un*grate"ful*ly, adv. -- Un*grate"ful*ness, n.

Wanting in kindness, sympathy, benevolence, gratitude, or the like; cruel; harsh; unjust; ungrateful. He is unkind that recompenseth not; but he is most unkind that forgetteth. Sir T. Elyot. -- Un*kind"ly, adv. -- Un*kind"ness, n.