Etymology The adjective is borrowed from French brusque, from Italian brusco (“abrupt, sudden, brusque; brisk; eager; sour, tart; unripe; grim-looking”); further etymology unknown. The verb is derived from the adjective.
1
Rudely abrupt; curt, unfriendly.
Mr. VValler, being probably of opinion that Monſieur Palamede’s arguments vvere too bruſque to be advanc’d in a diſpute vvith a Lady, vvho number’d not fevver than tvventy Kings of her progenitors, vvrote this poem in a more tender and courtly ſtyle; […]1730, [Elijah] Fenton, “Observations on Some of Mr. Waller’s Poems. [To Zelinda.]”, in Edmund Waller, edited by [Elijah] Fenton, The Works of Edmund Waller, Esq; in Verse and Prose, London: […] J[acob] Tonson […], →OCLC, page cv:
[A]ll the answer Miss Jarron got was a brusque refusal, followed by Mr. Camperton's retreat from the piano.1761, “Thorpe Leigh; or, The Heir and the Owner”, in Riddell’s Review and Epitomist: A Literary Miscellany, and Record of Progress, part I, number III (New Series), London: J. H. Riddell, […], chapter XX, page 33, column 2:
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Father Falkener vvas, at the time of this viſit, 'about ſeventy years of age, active in mind and body, bruſque in his manners,' and very communicative.1788 May, “Art. VI. Of the Patagonians, Formed from the Relation of Father Falkener, a Jesuit, who had Resided among Them Thirty-eight Years, and from the Different Voyagers who had Met with this Tall Race. Printed by the Friendship of George Allan, Esq; at His Private Press at Darlington, 1788, 4to. 15 Pages. [book review]”, in [Thomas Christie], editor, The Analytical Review, or History of Literature, Domestic and Foreign. […], volume I, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 47:
"Cynthia Courtown seems as lively as ever," said Miss Gusset. / "Yes, lively enough, but I wish her manner was less brusque." / "Brusque indeed! you may well say to: she nearly pushed me down in the hall; and when I looked as if I thought she might have given me a little more room, she tossed her head and said, "Beg pardon, never saw you!"1826, [Benjamin Disraeli], “Toadeys”, in Vivian Grey, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, book II, pages 244–245:
He was brusque, authoritative, given to contradiction, rough though never dirty in his personal belongings, and inclined to indulge in a sort of quiet raillery which sometimes was not thoroughly understood.1858, Anthony Trollope, “Dr. Thorne”, in Doctor Thorne. […], volume I, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 57:
Whether it were the absence of Theodora or some other cause, he was brusk, ungracious, scowling, and silent, only nodding to the Bishop who benignly saluted him, […]1870, B[enjamin] Disraeli, chapter XV, in Lothair. […], volume II, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, pages 161–162:
[T]he thin and bruske harſh vvine doth nouriſh the bodie leſſe, but yet more agreeable and nutritive it is to the ſtomack.1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XXIII.] The Medecines which Grapes Fresh and New Gathered doe Yeeld. […].”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], 2nd tome, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, page 152:
Etymology The adjective is borrowed from French brusque, from Italian brusco (“abrupt, sudden, brusque; brisk; eager; sour, tart; unripe; grim-looking”); further etymology unknown. The verb is derived from the adjective.
1
Archaic To act towards (someone or something) in a curt or rudely abrupt manner.
Had this been done, Denine had not been bruſqued and carried by Villars at the firſt aſſault, […]1740, A[dam] Williamson, “The Disposition of an Army. [General Battles.]”, in Military Memoirs and Maxims of Marshal Turenne. […], Dublin: […] George Faulkner, […], →OCLC, footnote †, page 36:
He was indefatigable while he stayed and took true pains, but he brusqued the ministers too much, and I found after he was gone that he had thereby given more offense than I could have imagined.1781 August 24, Benjamin Franklin, “[Benjamin] Franklin to [William] Carmichael”, in Francis Wharton, editor, The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States. […] (50th Congress, 1st Session, House of Representatives Mis. Doc.; 603, part 4), volume IV, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, published 1889, →OCLC, page 660:
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Not that I suspect you of thus brusquing matters. It is rather my own fault where, which is too often the case, I am not too negligent about the spiritual concerns of my friends.1803 March 4, William Wilberforce, “W. Wilberforce, Esq. to Thomas Babington, Esq.”, in Robert Isaac Wilberforce, Samuel Wilberforce, editors, The Correspondence of William Wilberforce. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], published 1840, →OCLC, page 263:
I'll e'en brusque it a little, if he goes on at this rate, and try if I can bring him to a more intelligible mode of speaking.1826, [Walter Scott], chapter VIII, in Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, →OCLC, page 201:
[H]e [Thomas Pringle] was poor, and from the outset [William] Blackwood domineered over and brusqued him. [James] Cleghorn was also poor, but of a sturdy disposition, and he brusqued every body.1839 October, [Egerton Brydges], “Some Recollections of James Hogg. […] No. I.”, in Fraser’s Magazine for Town and Country, volume XX, number CXVIII, London: James Fraser […], →OCLC, page 427, column 1:
He blamed himself very severely for his attempt at brusquing Fate.1901, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Ultimatum”, in The Tangled Skein, London: Greening & Co., published 1907, →OCLC, part II (The Lady Ursula), page 117: