barbarity

barbarity
barbarism, barbarity
Barbarism has the widest scope of reference, being applied to matters of taste as well as human behaviour, and it has a special meaning in relation to language (see barbarisms). Barbarity (and occasionally barbarousness, although this is not normally needed) always refer to savage cruelty or extremely uncivilized behaviour. Examples:

• It has taken a woman to remind us all that there are people out there who are determined that Northern Ireland will not be dragged down to the level of barbarity displayed by the terrorists —Ulster Newsletter, 1991

• He took up a new job in Berlin on the very day in 1930 when the Reichstag election heralded unprecedented barbarism in Europe —New Scientist, 1991

• I do not believe urban barbarism is about to engulf us —East Anglian Daily Times, 1993.


Modern English usage. 2014.

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  • Barbarity — Жанр дэт метал Годы c 2002 года Страна …   Википедия

  • Barbarity — Bar*bar i*ty, n.; pl. {Barbarities}. [From {Barbarous}.] 1. The state or manner of a barbarian; lack of civilization. [1913 Webster] 2. Cruelty; ferociousness; inhumanity. [1913 Webster] Treating Christians with a barbarity which would have… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • barbarity — index atrocity, bestiality, brutality, cruelty Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • barbarity — 1560s, want of civilization, from L. barbarus (see BARBARIAN (Cf. barbarian)) + ITY (Cf. ity). Meaning savage cruelty is recorded from 1680s …   Etymology dictionary

  • barbarity — *barbarism Analogous words: barbarousness, savagery, ferociousness or ferocity, cruelty, inhumanity (see corresponding adjectives at FIERCE) Antonyms: humaneness Contrasted words: gentleness, mildness, smoothness, lenity or leniency (see… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • barbarity — [n] crudity, savagery boorishness, brutality, crudeness, cruelty, inhumanity, ruthlessness, savageness, viciousness, vulgarity; concept 633 Ant. kindness …   New thesaurus

  • barbarity — [bär ber′ə tē] n. pl. barbarities 1. cruel or brutal behavior; inhumanity 2. a cruel or brutal act 3. a crude or coarse taste, manner, form, etc …   English World dictionary

  • barbarity — [[t]bɑː(r)bæ̱rɪti[/t]] barbarities N VAR (disapproval) If you refer to someone s behaviour as barbarity, you strongly disapprove of it because you think that it is extremely cruel. Rebellions were put down with appalling barbarity. ...the… …   English dictionary

  • barbarity — [bɑː bærɪtɪ] display barbarity unmitigated utter barbarity outright to demonstrate …   Combinatory dictionary

  • barbarity — bar|bar|i|ty [ba:ˈbærıti US ba:r ] n plural barbarities [U and C] a very cruel act ▪ the medieval barbarity of putting people in prison for debt …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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