runish
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English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology 1
[edit]From Middle English runish, runisch, from Old English *rūnisc, *rȳnisc, rēnisc (“mysterious, mystic”), equivalent to rune + -ish.
Adjective
[edit]runish (comparative more runish, superlative most runish)
- 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.
- 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
[edit]From Middle English runisch, a variant (by confusion) of renisch. Also rennish.
Adjective
[edit]runish (comparative more runish, superlative most runish)
- Rough, violent.