Savage
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈsævɪdʒ/
Origin
From Old French sauvage, salvage ("wild, savage, untamed"), from Late Latin salvaticus, alteration of Latin silvaticus ("wild"; literally, "of the woods"), from silva ("forest", "grove").
Full definition of savage
Adjective
savage
- wild; not cultivateda savage wilderness
- Drydensavage berries of the wood
- barbaric; not civilizedsavage manners
- 1719- Daniel Defoe, I observed a place where there had been a fire made, and a circle dug in the earth, like a cockpit, where I supposed the savage wretches had sat down to their human feastings upon the bodies of their fellow-creatures.
- E. D. GriffinWhat nation, since the commencement of the Christian era, ever rose from savage to civilized without Christianity?
- fierce and ferocioussavage beastsa savage spirit
- brutal, vicious, or mercilessHe gave the dog a savage kick.The woman was killed in a savage manner.
- (UK, slang) unpleasant or unfair- I'll see you in detention.
- Ah, savage!
Noun
savage
(plural savages)- (pejorative) An uncivilized or feral human; a barbarian.
- 1847, Benjamin Disraeli, Tancred: or The New Crusade, page 251'Well, my lord, I don't know,' said Freeman with a sort of jolly sneer; 'we have been dining with the savages.'
'They are not savages, Freeman.'
'Well, my lord, they have not much more clothes, anyhow; and as for knives and forks, there is not such a thing known.' - (figuratively) A defiant person.
Verb
(transitive)- To attack or assault someone or something ferociously or without restraint.
- (figuratively) To criticise vehemently.His latest film was savaged by most reviewers.
- 2013-08-10, Lexington, Keeping the mighty honest, British journalists shun complete respectability, feeling a duty to be ready to savage the mighty, or rummage through their bins. Elsewhere in Europe, government contracts and subsidies ensure that press barons will only defy the mighty so far.
- (of an animal) To attack with the teeth.
- (obsolete, transitive) To make savage.
- SouthIts bloodhounds, savaged by a cross of wolf.