Words / C2

KOL-uh-rik/ˈkɒlərɪk/

Choleric means easily made angry; hot-tempered (formal / literary): a choleric outburst, choleric by habit. Irascible (already in the dictionary) is the close twin of a short fuse; bilious (this batch) is irritable or bile-sick, and livid (already in the dictionary) is furiously angry, of a moment more than a humour. Belligerent (already in the dictionary) is eager to fight. A walkout is not a dated finding.

Meaning

Easily made angry; hot-tempered (formal / literary).

Examples

• “A choleric walkout does not replace a dated finding.”
• “Irascible is easily made angry (already in C2). Bilious is irritable or bile-sick (this batch). Livid is furiously angry (already in C2). Belligerent is looking for a fight (already in C2). A sharp, dated objection can still be civil. A storm that never numbers the risk is theatre. Write the finding; leave the humour.”

Good to know

Hot-tempered (formal). Close: irascible (already in C2). This batch: bilious. Contrast: livid (furious — already in C2); belligerent (eager to fight — already in C2). A storm is not a minute.

Near in meaning

irascible, hot-tempered, testy, quick-tempered

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