Churl (Hastings' Dictionary)

'The Saxons made three degrees of free-men ; to wit — an earl, a thane, and a churl ' — Ri.sdon (1630). And soon 'churl' and 'churlish' were .applied to any boorish person. In this sense churlish is used of Nabal, 1 S 25", and of Nicanor 2 Mac 14™. But 'churlish' as applied to Nabal being popularlj' taken in the sense of niggardly, helped to give the meaning of niggard, miser, to 'churl.' In this sen.se alone churl occurs. Is 32°-', though the Heb. ('V?

, 'bs) probably means crafty (so RVm) or fraudulent (Vulg.) J. Hastincs.