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cruel
cruel be cruel to be kind act towards someone in a way which seems harsh but will ultimately be of benefit; often with reference to Hamlet's explanation of his outspoken condemnation to his mother of her second marriage.
cruel and unusual punishment punishment which is seen to exceed the bounds of what is regarded as an appropriate penal remedy for a civilized society; it derives from the Eighth Amendment (1791) to the Constitution of the United States. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "cruel." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "cruel." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-cruel.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "cruel." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-cruel.html |
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cruel
cru·el / ˈkroōəl/ • adj. (-el·er, -el·est; Brit. -el·ler , -el·lest ) causing pain or suffering: people who are cruel to animals. ∎ having or showing a sadistic disregard for the pain or suffering of others: a cruel face. DERIVATIVES: cru·el·ly adv. |
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"cruel." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "cruel." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-cruel.html "cruel." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-cruel.html |
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cruel
cruel XIII. — (O)F. :- L. crūdēlis, rel. to crūdus CRUDE.
So cruelty XIII. — OF. crualté (mod. cruauté) :- Rom. *crūdālitās, for L. crūdēlitās. |
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T. F. HOAD. "cruel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "cruel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-cruel.html T. F. HOAD. "cruel." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-cruel.html |
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cruel
cruel
•denial, dial, espial, Lyall, mistrial, myall, Niall, phial, trial, vial, viol
•sundial
•knawel, withdrawal
•avowal, Baden-Powell, bowel, disembowel, dowel, Howell, Powell, rowel, towel, trowel, vowel
•semivowel
•bestowal, koel, Lowell, Noel
•loyal, royal, viceroyal
•accrual, construal, crewel, cruel, dual, duel, fuel, gruel, jewel, newel, renewal, reviewal
•eschewal
•artefactual (US artifactual), contractual, factual, tactual
•perpetual
•aspectual, effectual, intellectual
•conceptual, perceptual
•contextual, textual
•habitual, ritual
•conflictual • instinctual • spiritual
•mutual • punctual • virtual • casual
•audio-visual, televisual, visual
•usual • gradual • individual
•menstrual • actual
•asexual, bisexual, heterosexual, homosexual, psychosexual, sexual, transsexual, unisexual
•accentual, conventual, eventual
•Samuel
•annual, biannual, Emanuel, Emmanuel, manual
•Lemuel
•consensual, sensual
•continual
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Cite this article
"cruel." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "cruel." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-cruel.html "cruel." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-cruel.html |
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