Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CHURL'ISH, a.

1. Rude; surly; austere; sullen; rough in temper; unfeeling; uncivil.
2. Selfish; narrow-minded; avaricious. – King.
3. [Of things.] Unpliant; unyielding; cross-grained; harsh; unmanageable; as, churlish metal. – Bacon.
4. Hard; firm; as, a churlish knot. – Shak.
5. Obstinate; as, a churlish war. – Bacon.