brawler

English

Etymology

From Middle English brawler, brawlere, equivalent to brawl +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹɔːlə(ɹ)/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹɔlɚ/
• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹɑlɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɔːlə(ɹ)

Noun

brawler (plural brawlers)

1. One who brawls, engages in noisy, unseemly fights.
   • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 320, column 2:

     The world hath noted. And your name is great
     In mouthes of wiſeſt Cenſure. What's the matter
     That you vnlace your reputation thus,
     And ſpend your rich opinion, for the name
     Of a night-brawler? Giue me anſwer to it.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Timothy 3:2–4, columns 1–2:

     A Biſhop then muſt be blameleſſe, the huſband of one wife, vigilant, ſober, of good behauiour, giuen to hoſpitalitie, apt to teach;
     Not giuen to wine, no ſtriker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not couetous;
     One that ruleth well his owne houſe, hauing his children in ſubiection with all grauitie.
     (For if a man know not how to rule his owne houſe, how ſhall he take care of the Church of God?)

2. (video games, informal) A beat 'em up game.
   • 2020, Patrick Hickey Jr., The Minds Behind Adventure Games, page 136:

     "Classic brawlers ranging from Double Dragon to Streets of Rage and even Brutal Legend created my initial seed of interest for working on one," Deighan said.

Synonyms

• rooster (obsolete slang)

Translations

one who brawls

• Arabic: مُشَاكِس (mušākis)
• Czech: rváč m
• Finnish: rähinöitsijä (fi), tappelupukari
• French: bagarreur (fr) m
• German: Schläger (de) m, Rabauke (de) m, Krakeeler (de) m, Raufbold (de) m, Randalierer (de) m, Rowdy (de) m, Hooligan (de) m, Halbstarker (de) m
• Greek: γκαφατζής (el) (gkafatzís), καβγατζής (el) (kavgatzís)
• Italian: arruffone (it) m or f pl, confusionario (it) m, che fa fracasso
• Latin: rixātor m
• Ottoman Turkish: صاواشجی (savaşcı)
• Portuguese: arruaceiro (pt) m, brigão (pt) m, rixador m
• Romanian: scandalagiu (ro) m
• Russian: драчу́н (ru) (dračún), буя́н (ru) (buján), дебоши́р (ru) (debošír), зади́ра (ru) m or f (zadíra), забия́ка (ru) m or f (zabijáka)
• Swahili: mgomvi

Anagrams

• warbler