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Gnarled vs Gnarly - What's the difference?

gnarled | gnarly | Synonyms |

Gnarly is a synonym of gnarled.



As adjectives the difference between gnarled and gnarly

is that gnarled is knotty and misshapen while gnarly is having or characterized by gnarls; gnarled.

As a verb gnarled

is past tense of gnarl.

gnarled

English

Etymology 1

First attested Shakespeare 1603: : Thy sharpe and sulpherous bolt Splits the vn-wedgable [unwedgable] and gnarled Oke [oak]. : Measure for Measure, Act II, scene ii, line 116 Variant of knurled,OEDBarnhart from knurl. Surface analysis is is a later back-formation. Popular use by 19th century.

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Knotty and misshapen.
  • *
  • *:Three chairs of the steamer type, all maimed, comprised the furniture of this roof-garden, withon one of the copings a row of four red clay flower-pots filled with sun-baked dust from which gnarled and rusty stalks thrust themselves up like withered elfin limbs.
  • Made rough by age or hard work.
    • Synonyms
    * gnarly
    Derived terms
    * gnarl

    Verb

    (head)
  • (gnarl)

    • Etymology 2

    See (gnarl)

    Verb

    (head)
  • (gnarl)

    • References

    Anagrams

    *

    gnarly

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • having or characterized by gnarls; gnarled
    • On the right of the station were two gnarly cottonwood trees...'' — Mark Goodwin, ''Last Words
  • (US slang) dangerous
    • When the swell struck, the North Shore got gnarly , and the wise ones hit the outer islands where the energy was just as juicy but a bit more organized.'' — ''Surfer Magazine , March 1977
  • (US slang) unpleasant, awful, ugly
    • We're not talking about a lame chick and a gnarly guy. We're talking about a couple of far-out dudes.'' — D. Jenkins, ''Baja Oklahoma
  • (slang) excellent, attractive
    • "There ain't nothing gnarlier (apparently) than slapping on some brightly coloured sunblock to ward off the blinding spectre of dangerous, snow-reflected sunlight.'' — Glasgow ''Sunday Herald , 16 January 2000
  • (US slang) Of music or a sound, harsh
    • "[She] displays the same love of gnarly fuzztones and shout-it-out-loud choruses that began back in her daze ''[sic]'' with local all-girl rockers the Runaways.'' — ''Los Angeles Times , 12 October 1986

    Usage notes

    Note the contradictory senses of “good” and “bad”. Meaning varies by community and context, and may be indicated by extra-verbal cues, such as tone of voice. Sense of “good” particularly associated with surf culture, to the point of being somewhat clichéd, as in “gnarly wave, dude!”.

    Synonyms

    * (gnarled ): gnarled, knobbly, knobby * (slang: dangerous ): * (slang: unpleasant, awful ): awful, dreadful, nasty * (slang: excellent, attractive ): cool * (harsh (of music or sound) ): discordant

    References