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Webster 1913 Edition


Cruelty

Cru′el-ty

(-ty̆)
,
Noun.
;
pl.
Cruelties
(-tĭz)
.
[OF.
cruelté
, F.
cruauté
, fr. L.
crudelitas
, fr.
crudelis
. See
Cruel
.]
1.
The attribute or quality of being cruel; a disposition to give unnecessary pain or suffering to others; inhumanity; barbarity.
Pierced through the heart with your stern
cruelty
.
Shakespeare
2.
A cruel and barbarous deed; inhuman treatment; the act of willfully causing unnecessary pain.
Cruelties
worthy of the dungeons of the Inquisition.
Macaulay.

Webster 1828 Edition


Cruelty

CRUELTY

,
Noun.
[L.]
1.
Inhumanity; a savage or barbarous disposition or temper, which is gratified in giving unnecessary pain or distress to others; barbarity; applied to persons; as the cruelty of savages; the cruelty and envy of the people.
2.
Barbarous deed; any act of a human being which inflicts unnecessary pain; any act intended to torment, vex or afflict, or which actually torments or afflicts, without necessity; wrong; injustice; oppression.
With force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. Ezekiel 34.

Definition 2024


cruelty

cruelty

English

Alternative forms

Noun

cruelty (countable and uncountable, plural cruelties)

  1. (uncountable) An indifference to suffering or positive pleasure in inflicting suffering.
  2. (countable) A cruel act.

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