gnarled
[ nahrld ]
/ nɑrld /
adjective
(of trees) full of or covered with gnarls; bent; twisted.
having a rugged, weather-beaten appearance: a gnarled old sea captain.
crabby; cantankerous.
Origin of gnarled
First recorded in 1595–1605; variant of
knurled
OTHER WORDS FROM gnarled
un·gnarled, adjectiveWords nearby gnarled
Definition for gnarled (2 of 3)
gnarl
1
[ nahrl ]
/ nɑrl /
noun
a knotty protuberance on a tree; knot.
verb (used with object)
to twist into a knotted or distorted form.
Origin of gnarl
1
First recorded in 1805–15; back formation from
gnarled
Definition for gnarled (3 of 3)
gnarl
2
[ nahrl ]
/ nɑrl /
verb (used without object)
to growl; snarl.
Origin of gnarl
2
First recorded in 1585–95; variant of
gnar
Example sentences from the Web for gnarled
British Dictionary definitions for gnarled (1 of 3)
gnarled
/ (nɑːld) /
adjective
having gnarls
(esp of hands) rough, twisted, and weather-beaten in appearance
perverse or ill-tempered
British Dictionary definitions for gnarled (2 of 3)
gnarl
1
/ (nɑːl) /
noun
any knotty protuberance or swelling on a tree
verb
(tr)
to knot or cause to knot
Word Origin for gnarl
C19: back formation from
gnarled, probably variant of
knurled; see
knurl
British Dictionary definitions for gnarled (3 of 3)
gnarl
2
gnar (nɑː)
/ (nɑːl) /
verb
(intr) obsolete
to growl or snarl
Word Origin for gnarl
C16: of imitative origin