"Brusque" vs. "curt"

Question

What is the diffence between brusque and curt?

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 03 '10 at 17:20

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Curt usually refers specifically to speech, while brusque is more general, referring to manner and behavior as well as speech. Also, a "curt reply" is a bit more rude than a brusque one.

answered Dec 03 '10 at 17:20

Marthaª

32,910

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It's a very small difference, but I think a curt reply is intentionally rude, while with a brusque reply, the rudeness is incidental. Thus, it's easier to invent a Polyanna-type excuse for the brusque response than the curt one. – Marthaª Dec 03 '10 at 18:03

score 2 · Answer 2 · edited Sep 19 '12 at 12:10

2

Curt can be emotionally neutral. Brusque displays some animosity.

The definitions are pretty close though.

edited Sep 19 '12 at 12:10

RegDwigнt

97,231

answered Dec 03 '10 at 22:08

Satanicpuppy

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+1 I agree with this answer. The words are synonyms in many situations. Brusque may (but does not always) imply some emotion. – Noldorin Dec 03 '10 at 23:11
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I dunno. I think brusque implies a certain selfish disregard for the proprieties, i.e. it's oriented inwards. Curt, on the other hand, is more outward-oriented. I wouldn't assign more animosity to "brusque" than to "curt"; if anything, I'd put it the other way around. -- I think the moral of the story is, context is everything. – Marthaª Dec 03 '10 at 23:24

score 2 · Answer 3 · edited Sep 19 '12 at 12:10

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Curt, not brusque, suggests possible animosity. Brusque people are in a hurry, often to attend to business. Curt people brook no dissent.

edited Sep 19 '12 at 12:10

RegDwigнt

97,231

answered Sep 18 '12 at 15:41

richard crane

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Thank you for showing me a new meaning of the word "brook". – JustAskin Jan 08 '22 at 20:59

"Brusque" vs. "curt"

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