burly
24
4.6
- adjective
- /ˈbɜrli/
:
fornido
- A burly man with a thick beard entered the bar, drawing everyone's attention.
- a burly man
I just just think I'd feel safe cradle in those burly tattooed arms.
- I just just think I'd feel safe cradle in those burly tattooed arms.
- And he's not saying that every single man needs to be some big burly type and every single woman needs to be some, you know, lift little thing.
- You know, they're not they don't get like the big burly tough guys to run the women's prisons because they send them to the men's prisons.
Examples
-
Norman Schwarzkopf was a big, burly man of considerable military prowess and very much a soldier's soldier.
Fiction book (1994) -
After several minutes, the gate opened to reveal a burly, crop-haired Russian in the white tunic of a steward.
Fiction book (1994) -
On my second trip, the customs agent was a burly fellow.
Academic text (2009) -
I looked down in the basement and there were some fairly burly guys down there pumping iron.
-
A truck arrived at our door one morning, and two burly men began unloading cartons from the back.
Fiction book (1994) -
The prince, a tall, burly warrior with an unruly red beard, began to speak to me.
Fiction book (1993) -
"Marshals," Brinkema commanded, and two burly security officers moved toward the defendant.
Academic text (2007) -
A burly ruffian, but he can maul the toughest traitor on the plains into a pulp without even working up a sweat.
-
The burly worker lifted the heavy logs with ease.
-
We hired a burly bodyguard to ensure everyone's safety at the event.
Synonyms
16
4.0
A large strong person or animal with big, heavy muscles
14
3.4
Short and thick in shape, with a strong, solid look
10
3.3
A person who is big and strong
6
4.7
Having large, strong muscles
4
3.2
Having wide shoulders and a strong upper body
1
4.4
A person who is tall and strongly built
1
4.0
Having broad shoulders that make a person look strong
Large and muscular with a heavy body
Antonyms
Compounds
How Burly
Surface Forms
Etymology
Burly probably grew from older words that meant 'brave' or 'strong', and people used it to describe big, solid bodies. A helpful way to remember it is to picture a 'burly' person as heavy and muscular, which is why burly means 'large and strong'.