coarse
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English
Etymology
Adjectival use of course that diverged in spelling in the 18th century. The sense developed from '(following) the usual course' (cf. of course) to 'ordinary, common' to 'lacking refinement', with 'not fine, granular' arising from its application to cloth. Compare the development of mean.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) enPR: kôs, IPA(key): /kɔːs/
- (General American) enPR: kôrs, IPA(key): /koɹs/,
- (rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) enPR: kōrs, IPA(key): /ko(ː)ɹs/
- (non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA(key): /koəs/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)s
- Homophone: course
Adjective
coarse (comparative coarser, superlative coarsest)
- With a rough texture; not smooth.
- 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “Of the Inhabitants of Lilliput; ”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. , volume I, London: Benj Motte, , →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), pages 107–108:
- Two hundred Sempſtreſſes were employed to make me Shirts, and Linen for Bed and Table, all of the ſtrongeft and coarſeſt kind they could get; which, however, they were forced to quilt together in ſeveral Folds, for the thickeſt was ſome degrees finer than Lawn.
- Composed of large particles.
- coarse sand
- Lacking refinement, taste or delicacy.
- coarse manners
- coarse language
- 1791, John Walker, A Critical Pronouncing Dictionary , London: Sold by G. G. J. and J. Robinſon, Paternoſter Row; and T. Cadell, in the Strand, →OCLC, page 211:
- ☞ This word [earth] is liable to a coarſe vulgar pronunciation, as if written Urth; […]
- (archaic, of a metal) Unrefined.
- Of inferior quality.
- (Can we add an example for this sense?)
Synonyms
- (of inferior quality): thick, rough, sharp, hard
- (not refined): rough, rude, uncouth, blunt, unpolished, inelegant, indelicate, vulgar, gritty, obscene, crass
Antonyms
- (of inferior quality): fine
Derived terms
Collocations
with nouns (composed of large parts or particles)
- coarse particle
- coarse grain
- coarse graining
- coarse sand
- coarse powder
- coarse gravel
- coarse grit
- coarse salt
- coarse gold
- coarse thread
- coarse hair
- coarse coth
- coarse grid
- coarse aggregate
- coarse texture
- coarse grass
- coarse fish
- coarse angling
- coarse fishing
with nouns (lacking refinement)
- coarse language
- coarse manners
- coarse words
Translations
with a rough texture
containing large particles
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of inferior quality
|
not refined
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Further reading
- “coarse”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “coarse”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “coarse”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.