1
surly + noun
作定语，修饰名词。
He gave a surly reply.
他给出了一个粗暴的回答。
乖戾的；粗暴的；无礼的
surlier — comparative of surly
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
乖戾的；粗暴的；无礼的
bad-tempered and unfriendly, in a way that suggests menace or anger.
He gave a surly reply.
他给出了一个粗暴的回答。
恼怒的、脾气坏的、不友好的。
Irritated, bad-tempered, unfriendly.
威胁的、恐吓的、阴郁的。
Threatening, menacing, gloomy.
The shop assistant gave me a surly look when I asked for help.
当我请求帮助时，那个店员很不友好地看了我一眼。
A surly waiter brought our food without saying a word.
一个态度恶劣的服务员端来我们的食物，一句话也没说。
My neighbor became surly whenever we played music too loudly.
每当我们音乐放得太大声，邻居就变得脾气暴躁。
作定语，修饰名词。
He gave a surly reply.
他给出了一个粗暴的回答。
表示对某人的态度。
The waiter was surly to the customers.
那个服务员对顾客态度无礼。
表示状态变化。
He grew surly when asked about his past.
当被问及他的过去时，他变得乖戾起来。
Not this
He gave me a sullen look, then turned away.
Use this
He gave me a surly look, then turned away.
“sullen”表示“闷闷不乐的，沉默的”，而“surly”表示“粗暴的，无礼的”。在此语境中，若强调不友好且带有威胁意味，应使用“surly”。
Not this
He spoke surly to the waiter.
Use this
He spoke in a surly manner to the waiter.
“surly”是形容词，不能直接修饰动词“spoke”。应使用“in a surly manner”或“surly”作定语修饰名词，如“a surly tone”。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
粗暴无礼的服务员
The surly waiter slammed the plate down in front of me.
那个粗暴无礼的服务员把盘子重重地放在我面前。
恶劣的心情；坏脾气
He was in a surly mood all morning.
他整个上午都心情恶劣。
愠怒的表情
She gave me a surly look and turned away.
她愠怒地看了我一眼，然后转过身去。
粗暴无礼的回答
When I asked for help, he gave a surly reply.
我请求帮助时，他给出了一个粗暴无礼的回答。
乖戾的性情
His surly disposition made it hard for him to keep friends.
他乖戾的性情使他很难留住朋友。
Use surlier naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
记忆联想：把 surly 联想成“sir(先生)+ly”，想到一位傲慢无礼的先生总是阴沉着脸、脾气暴躁。
语域：formal 常见场景：文学或正式写作中形容人的态度、描述天气或环境的阴沉气氛 surly 多用于正式或文学语境，表示脾气坏、不友好，也可形容阴郁或带威胁感的气氛；日常口语中较少使用。
与 surly /ˈsəːli/ 押韵的词有 burly、curly、early、pearly、girly（重读元音为 /əː/，尾音为 /li/）。注意 surely /ˈʃʊəli/ 虽形似，但读音不同，不押韵。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.