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Definition of ugly - 4 dictionary results

ug⋅ly

  [uhg-lee]
Use ugly in a Sentence
–adjective, -li⋅er, -li⋅est.
1. very unattractive or unpleasant to look at; offensive to the sense of beauty; displeasing in appearance.
2. disagreeable; unpleasant; objectionable: ugly tricks; ugly discords.
3. morally revolting: ugly crime.
4. threatening trouble or danger: ugly symptoms.
5. mean; hostile; quarrelsome: an ugly mood; an ugly frame of mind.
6. (esp. of natural phenomena) unpleasant or dangerous: ugly weather; an ugly sea.
Origin:
1200–50; ME ugly, uglike < ON uggligr fearful, dreadful, equiv. to ugg(r) fear + -ligr -ly

Related forms:
ug⋅li⋅ly, adverb
ug⋅li⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. ill-favored, hard-featured, uncomely, unsightly, unlovely, homely. 3. base, heinous, vile, monstrous, corrupt. 4. disadvantageous, ominous. 5. surly, spiteful. 6. stormy, tempestuous.

Antonyms:
1. beautiful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To ugly
ug·ly   (ŭg'lē)   
adj.   ug·li·er, ug·li·est

  1. Displeasing to the eye; unsightly.

    1. Repulsive or offensive; objectionable: an ugly remark.

    2. Chiefly Southern U.S. Rude: Don't be ugly with me.

    3. New England Unmanageable. Used of animals, especially cows or horses.

    4. Likely to cause embarrassment or trouble: "Public opinion in both nations could take an ugly turn" (George R. Packard).

    5. Marked by or inclined to anger or bad feelings; disagreeable: an ugly temper; an ugly scene.

  3. Morally reprehensible; bad.

  4. Threatening or ominous: ugly black clouds.

    1. Likely to cause embarrassment or trouble: "Public opinion in both nations could take an ugly turn" (George R. Packard).

    2. Marked by or inclined to anger or bad feelings; disagreeable: an ugly temper; an ugly scene.

n.   pl. ug·lies Informal
One that is ugly.

[Middle English, frightful, repulsive, from Old Norse uggligr, from uggr, fear.]
ug'li·ly adv., ug'li·ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean offensive to the sense of sight: ugly furniture; a hideous scar; an ill-favored countenance; an unsightly billboard.

The standard sense of the adjective ugly becomes figurative in the common expression an ugly temper. Regional American speech shares this figurative sense and makes it even more specific. In New England ugly as applied to animals, especially large farm animals such as cows and horses, means "balky, hard to manage." In the South, on the other hand, ugly with the specific sense of "rude" is used of persons: Don't be ugly, son. Interestingly, the word clever (senses 4 through 6) follows the same regional pattern as ugly: in New England the specialized senses refer to animals; in the South, to persons.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

ugly 
c.1250, uglike "frightful or horrible in appearance," from O.N. uggligr "dreadful, fearful," from uggr "fear, apprehension, dread" (perhaps related to agg "strife, hate") + -ligr "-like." Meaning softened to "very unpleasant to look at" c.1375. Extended sense of "morally offensive" is attested from c.1300; that of "ill-tempered" is from 1687. Among words for this concept, ugly is unusual in being formed from a root for "fear, dread." More common is a compound meaning "ill-shaped" (e.g. Gk. dyseides, L. deformis, Ir. dochrud, Skt. ku-rupa). Another Gmc. group has a root sense of "hate, sorrow" (see loath). Verb uglify is attested from 1576. Ugly duckling (1877) is from the story by Hans Christian Andersen, first translated from Danish to English 1846. Ugly American "U.S. citizen who behaves offensively abroad" is first recorded 1958 as a book title.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

ugly

In addition to the idioms beginning with ugly, also see rear its ugly head.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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