a. and sb. Also 6 -all, -ell. [f. L. brūt-us (see BRUTE) + -AL. Cf. F. brutal, 16th c. in Littré.] A. adj.
1. Of or belonging to the brutes, as opposed to man; of the nature of a brute; animal. Obs. or arch.
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fab., Prol. xii. Under the figur of sum brutal beist.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 228. Lyke brutell beistis takand thair desyre.
1651. Hobbes, Govt. & Soc., v. § 5. 78. The consent of those brutall creatures is naturall, that of men by compact only.
1704. J. Trapp, Abra-Mulé, IV. i. 1499. Hid their dazzling Forms in Brutal Shapes.
1726. Gay, Fables (1755), II. 142. On man we brutal slaves depend.
1838. G. S. Faber, Inquiry, 95. The angel … daily infuses them into human and brutal bodies.
2. Resembling, pertaining to, or characteristic of the brutes: a. in want of intelligence or reasoning power.
c. 1510. Barclay, Mirr. Good Mann. (1570), A v. It is a brutall fury in battayle for to fight.
1541. Becon, News of Heav., Wks. (1843), 52. He is truly too much brutal, that rejoiceth not at the hearing of them [the news].
a. 1718. Penn, Maxims, Wks. 1726, I. 828. Inquiry is Human; Blind Obedience, Brutal.
1722. De Foe, Plague (1884), 120. A sort of brutal Courage … founded neither on Religion or Prudence.
1826. Disraeli, Viv. Grey, V. iv. 182. The students affected a sort of brutal surprise.
b. in their animal or sensual nature.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel., xxiii. (R.). These lawes of ye Lacedemonians … doth mocke thy brutall vices.
c. 1550. Scot. Poems 16th C., II. 193. The parish priest, that brutall beist, He polit them wantonly.
a. 1725. Pope, Odyss., I. 175. The suitor-train, a brutal crowd, With insolence and wine, elate and loud.
1749. Smollett, Regicide, V. viii. The slaves of brutal appetite.
1878. Morley, Diderot, II. 13. Some of it is revolting in its brutal indecency.
3. As rude or ill-mannered as a brute beast; coarse, unrefined.
1709. Shaftesb., Charac. (1711), I. 129. A Man of thorow Good-Breeding … is incapable of doing a rude or brutal Action.
1742. Chesterf., Lett., I. xcv. 269. There is hardly any body brutal enough … not to say, Sir, My Lord, or Madam.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 196. His [Tyrconnel’s] brutal manners made him unfit to represent the majesty of the crown.
4. Inhuman; coarsely cruel, savage, fierce.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., I. 5. It purporteth … the turning of fierce and brutall men … unto … calme and sociable manners.
1735–6. Thomson, Liberty, III. 430. Brutal Marius and keen Sylla.
1836. Thirlwall, Greece, II. xi. 53. The cruelty of a brutal master.
1840. W. Howitt, Visits Remark. Pl., Ser. I. 237. The brutal amusements of the bull-baiting or the cock-pit.
1878. Morley, Crit. Misc., Ser. I. 268. The cruel and brutal abominations of slavery.
† B. sb. [ellipt. use of adj.] A brutal person. Obs.
1655. J. Jennings, Elise, 104. Should you have tormented me so much, to make me hearken to this Brutal?
1663. Cowley, Cutter Colman St., Pref. 10. The Honour of their Judgments (as some Brutals imagine of their Courage) consists in Quarrelling with every thing.
1676. Wycherley, Pl. Dealer, I. i. The world thinks you a Mad-man, a Brutal.
