runish

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology 1

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From Middle English runish, runisch, from Old English *rūnisc, *rȳnisc, rēnisc (mysterious, mystic), equivalent to rune +‎ -ish.

Adjective

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runish (comparative more runish, superlative most runish)

  1. Of or relating to runes, runic inscription, or runic language; runic.
    • 1884, George Stephens, Handbook of the old-northern runic monument of Scandinavia and England:
      Hundreds of these Golden Ornaments — Rank-decorations, Family Medals, Gift- pieces, Amulets, or whatever else they may have been — have no letters at all, either runish or otherwise.
    • 2005, Tango Wayne, Scandinal:
      Susan's impatient monosyllable startled Jori, slung in the halter on her chest, but he promptly went back to sleep after blowing a couple of bubbles. 'It's in Runish, the old language.
  2. Mysterious; strange.
    • 2003, Ann R. Meyer, Medieval Allegory and the Building of the New Jerusalem:
      Baltazar is stunned with fear as he watches the floating hand carve mysterious "runisch sauez" (runish writings) (1544-45) in the wall.
    • 2011, Marly Youmans, The Throne of Psyche:
      It's such cross-purpose my heart craves, These guests on old Twelfth Night, Their runish, unreadable moil Of prints, the barrowed creche Awaiting thaw.

Etymology 2

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From Middle English runisch, a variant (by confusion) of renisch. Also rennish.

Adjective

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runish (comparative more runish, superlative most runish)

  1. Rough, violent.

Anagrams

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