See Also: shrew(medicine)
shrew(1)(dictionary)
shrew(2)(dictionary)
shrew(dictionary)
shrew(encyclopedia)
shrew(dictionary)
water shrew(medicine)
Taming of the Shrew, The(dictionary)

shrew(2) (iou)



shrew noun2 & adjective. ME.
[Either formed as SHREW noun1 with the sense of 'malevolent person or thing', or transf. use of prec.]
A. noun.
A malevolent or mischievous person; a villain, a rascal. Also as a term of abuse. Long arch. rare. ME.
R. L. Stevenson Our poor shrew of a parson.
An evil or troublesome act, circumstance, or other thing. ME-E17.
A scolding or bad-tempered person, esp. (and now only) a woman. ME.
W. Irving A wife, who seemed to be a shrew, and to have the upper hand.
B. adjective. Shrewish. ME-M17
shrewish adjective (a) evil, malevolent; (b) characteristic of or having the disposition of a shrew or bad-tempered person, sharp, scolding: LME.
shrewishly adverb E17.
shrewishness noun L16.
shrewly adverb (now rare) = SHREWDLY E16.