unco
/'ʌɳkou/
Definition
Adverb:
- To a remarkable degree or extent; unusually, extremely: Used to emphasize that something is very much the case or is done to a great degree. This usage is chiefly Scottish.
Adjective:
- Strange, unfamiliar, or remarkable: Describing something that is odd, unknown, or noteworthy. This usage is chiefly Scottish.
- Uncanny: Having a strange and unsettling quality.
Noun:
- (Chiefly Scottish) A stranger; an unfamiliar person.
- (plural, informal) News, tidings, or information.
Examples of Usage
Adverb:
- The weather turned unco cold for May. (The weather became unusually/extremely cold for May.)
- He was unco fond of his grandmother's stories. (He was remarkably fond of his grandmother's stories.)
Adjective:
- He had an unco look about him that made her nervous. (He had a strange look about him that made her nervous.)
- It's an unco sight to see the city so quiet. (It's a remarkable sight to see the city so quiet.)
Noun:
- He's an unco here; we don't know him. (He's a stranger here; we don't know him.)
- Have you heard the latest uncos? (Have you heard the latest news?)
Advanced Usage
"Unco guid": A Scottish phrase meaning "excessively or self-righteously good or pious."
- She was criticized by some for being unco guid in her moral judgments.
"Unco wae": An archaic or dialectal Scottish phrase meaning "very sorrowful."
- He felt unco wae after hearing the sad tidings.
Variants and Related Words
- Uncouth (adj): Lacking good manners, refinement, or grace; also, strange and unfamiliar (an older meaning). While related historically, "uncouth" is more standard in modern English than "unco."
- His uncouth behavior embarrassed his hosts.
Synonyms
- Adverb: Extremely, remarkably, unusually, exceedingly, very.
- Adjective: Strange, odd, peculiar, unfamiliar, uncanny, remarkable.
- Noun (stranger): Foreigner, outsider, newcomer.
- Noun (news): Tidings, information, word.
Related Phrases
- "The unco guid": Used (often critically) to refer to people who are rigidly or self-righteously virtuous.
- The novel satirizes the hypocrisy of the unco guid in the small town.
Notes on Usage
- The word "unco" is now considered archaic or dialectal, primarily used in Scottish English. In general modern English, its meanings are more commonly expressed by words like "very," "extremely," "strange," or "uncanny."
- When used, it often carries a distinct regional flavor or a literary, old-fashioned tone.
Adverb
-
to a remarkable degree or extent
-
she was unusually tall
-
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