curt

/kɜːt/ (bre, ipa) · /kɜːrt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkərt/ (ame, mw)

curt — adjective

  • curtpositive
  • curtercomparative
  • curtestsuperlative

1. saying so little, or speaking in such a short way, that it seems impatient or un

1.形容詞C1
釋義

saying so little, or speaking in such a short way, that it seems impatient or unfriendly — for example, giving a one-word answer when a fuller reply is expected.

例句

Mauricio gave a curt nod and walked past the reporters without a word.

curt + noun (nod / reply / answer)

Zuri's email to the supplier was so curt that her colleagues thought she was angry.

be curt — describing the tone of a written message

同義詞
  • brusque

    very close synonym; emphasises an openly unfriendly edge

  • terse

    stresses extreme shortness; rudeness is implied, not always intended

  • abrupt

    emphasises a sudden, unexpected shift rather than rudeness

  • blunt

    describes plain, unsoftened speech; honesty is the focus, not brevity

反義詞
  • polite

    uses warm wording and full sentences

  • chatty

    talks freely and at length, the opposite of curt brevity

用法筆記

Subject is usually a person, or something that person produces (nod, reply, email, answer). Often paired with the preposition 'with' to name who is on the receiving end. Sounds milder than 'rude' — speakers use 'curt' when the shortness is the problem, not the words themselves.

常見錯誤

❌He spoke curt at the meeting.
✅He spoke curtly at the meeting.
💡before a verb use the adverb 'curtly'; 'curt' is the adjective that goes before a noun or after 'be'.
❌Her reply was curt and detailed.
✅Her reply was curt and dismissive.
💡'curt' implies very few words, so pairing it with 'detailed' contradicts the meaning.