Rude (?), a. [Compar. Ruder (?); superl. Rudest.] [F., fr. L. rudis.] 1. Characterized by roughness; umpolished; raw; lacking delicacy or refinement; coarse.
Such gardening tools as art, yet rude, . . . had formed.
Milton.
2. Hence, specifically: (a) Unformed by taste or skill; not nicely finished; not smoothed or polished; -- said especially of material things; as, rude workmanship. "Rude was the cloth."
Chaucer.
Rude and unpolished stones.
Bp. Stillingfleet.
The heaven-born child
All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies.
Milton.
(b) Of untaught manners; unpolished; of low rank; uncivil; clownish; ignorant; raw; unskillful; -- said of persons, or of conduct, skill, and the like . "Mine ancestors were rude."
Chaucer.
He was but rude in the profession of arms.
Sir H. Wotton.
the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.
Gray.
(c) Violent; tumultuous; boisterous; inclement; harsh; severe; -- said of the weather, of storms, and the like; as, the rude winter.
[Clouds] pushed with winds, rude in their shock.
Milton.
The rude agitation [of water] breaks it into foam.
Boyle.
(d) Barbarous; fierce; bloody; impetuous; -- said of war, conflict, and the like; as, the rude shock of armies . (e) Not finished or complete; inelegant; lacking chasteness or elegance; not in good taste; unsatisfactory in mode of treatment; -- said of literature, language, style, and the like . "The rude Irish books."
Spenser.
Rude am I in my speech.
Shak.
Unblemished by my rude translation.
Dryden.
Syn. -- Impertinent; rough; uneven; shapeless; unfashioned; rugged; artless; unpolished; uncouth; inelegant; rustic; coarse; vulgar; clownish; raw; unskillful; untaught; illiterate; ignorant; uncivil; impolite; saucy; impudent; insolent; surly; currish; churlish; brutal; uncivilized; barbarous; savage; violent; fierce; tumultuous; turbulent; impetuous; boisterous; harsh; inclement; severe. See Impertiment.
-- Rude"ly (#), adv. -- Rude"ness, n.
© Webster 1913. | 
