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cynical

7 senses · Free VividLex dictionary · Thesaurus

  1. 1. a. Having the qualities of a surly dog; snarling; captious; currish. Source: opted
  2. 2. a. Pertaining to the Dog Star; as, the cynic, or Sothic, year; cynic cycle. Source: opted
  3. 3. a. Belonging to the sect of philosophers called cynics; having the qualities of a cynic; pertaining to, or resembling, the doctrines of the cynics. Source: opted
  4. 4. a. Given to sneering at rectitude and the conduct of life by moral principles; disbelieving in the reality of any human purposes which are not suggested or directed by self-interest or self-indulgence; as, a cynical man who scoffs at pretensions of integrity; characterized by such opinions; as, cynical views of human nature. Source: opted
  5. 5. adj. believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others Source: wordnet
  6. 6. 1. Having the qualities of a surly dog; snarling; captious; currish. I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received. Johnson. 2. Pertaining to the Dog Star; as, the cynic, or Sothic, year; cynic cycle. 3. Belonging to the sect of philosophers called cynics; having the qualities of a cynic; pertaining to, or resembling, the doctrines of the cynics. 4. Given to sneering at rectitude and the conduct of life by moral principles; disbelieving in the reality of any human purposes which are not suggested or directed by self-interest or self-indulgence; as, a cynical man who scoffs at pretensions of integrity; characterized by such opinions; as, cynical views of human nature. Note: In prose, cynical is used rather than cynic, in the senses 1 and 4. Cynic spasm (Med.), a convulsive contraction of the muscles of one side of the face, producing a sort of grin, suggesting certain movements in the upper lip of a dog. Source: webster
  7. 7. j:100 s. believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others Source: ecdict

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