"supercilious" - Word of the Day from the OED

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supercilious, a.

SECOND EDITION 1989

(s(j)upsls)  [ad. late L. supercilisus, f. supercilium: see SUPERCILIUM and -OUS. Cf. F. sourcilleux.] 

    1. Haughtily contemptuous in character or demeanour; having or marked by an air of contemptuous superiority or disdain.

a1529 [implied in SUPERCILIOUSLY]. 1614 PURCHAS Pilgrimage II. viii. (ed. 2) 137 There was small reckoning had of the Galilæans by their supercilious and superstitious brethren of Iudæa. 1638 SIR T. HERBERT Trav. (ed. 2) 19 Let me advise our Men to..not contemne them from their indefensive nakednesse, or by a supercilious conceit of their owne weapons and field practises. 1771 SMOLLETT Humph. Cl. 26 June, His mother eyed me in silence with a supercilious air. 1799 J. ROBERTSON Agric. Perth 38 The supercilious landlord, who, with an air of disdain, keeps his tenants at a distance. 1845 DISRAELI Sybil V. vi, Sybil had made the enquiry and received only a supercilious stare from the shop-man. 1876 GEO. ELIOT Dan. Der. I. ii, Smiling at her ironically, and taking the air of a supercilious mentor.

    2. ‘Dictatorial, arbitrary, despotic, overbearing’ (J.), exacting or severe in judgement, censorious.

1598 B. JONSON Ev. Man in Hum. Ded. to Camden, There are, no doubt, a supercilious race in the world who will esteeme all office, done you in this kind, an injurie. 1616 CHAPMAN tr. Homer's Wks., Concl. Verses 27 To see our supercilious wizerds frowne. 1625 B. JONSON Staple of N. IV. i, Fit. I ha' mark'd him all this meale, he has done nothing But mocke, with scuruy faces, all wee said. Alm. A supercilious Rogue! 1644 MILTON Divorce To Parl. Eng. A3b, In the Gospel we shall read a supercilious crew of masters, whose holinesse..was to set straiter limits to obedience, then God had set. 1725 DE FOE Voy. round World (1840) 96 This..was neither more nor less than trading and bartering, though from supercilious punctilio, we had in a manner been denied it. 1758 JOHNSON Idler No. 12 2 Hopeless as the claim of vulgar characters may appear to the supercilious and severe. 1791 BOSWELL Johnson an. 1745, His pamphlet..was fortunate enough to obtain the approbation even of the supercilious Warburton himself.

    3.    a. Pertaining to the eyebrows. Obs. rare⁰.

1656 BLOUNT Glossogr., Supercilious..pertaining to the eyebrowes. 1658 PHILLIPS, Supercilious,.having great eyebrows.

    b. Zool. In names of various animals distinguished by a conspicuous stripe, process, etc. over the eye: rendering L. superciliosus or superciliaris of the systematic name. Obs.

1782 LATHAM Gen. Synopsis Birds I. II. 643 Alcedo superciliosa..Supercilious K[ingfisher]... From the bill, over the eyes, passes a narrow orange stripe. Ibid. 673 Merops superciliosus..Supercilious B[ee-eater]. 1802 SHAW Gen. Zool. III. I. 220 Supercilious Lizard. Lacerta Superciliosa... This Lizard..having..the appearance of a pair of sharp-pointed, horn-like processes above and beyond each eye. 1803 Ibid. IV. I. 169 Supercilious Blenny. Blennius Superciliosus..immediately over each eye is situated a small palmated crest or appendage. 1824 STEPHENS Shaw's Gen. Zool. XII. I. 266 Supercilious Jacana (Parra superciliosa)..Dark shining green Jacana, with white superciliary lines

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