Crossword Dictionary

HARSH

harsh - a 
disagreeable to the senses; "the harsh cry of a blue jay"; "harsh cognac"; "the harsh white light makes you screw up your eyes"; "harsh irritating smoke filled the hallway" 
severe; "a harsh penalty" 

wordplays

Synonyms

bitter, bleak, grim, hard, rigid, severe, sharp, strident, coarse, acrid, asperous, astringent

thesaurus

Examples

Expulsion from school is a harsh form of punishment.

The weather grew harsh, chilly and unpredictable.

The harsh light revealed every crevice and wrinkle in his face.

sentencedict

Etymology

originally of texture, "hairy," 1530s, probably from Middle English harske "rough, coarse, sour" (c. 1300), a northern word of Scandinavian origin (compare Danish and Norwegian harsk "rancid, rank"), related to Middle Low German harsch "rough, raw," German harst "a rake;" perhaps from PIE root *kars- "to scrape, scratch, rub, card" (source also of Lithuanian karšiu, karšti "to comb," Old Church Slavonic krasta, Russian korosta "scab," Latin carduus "thistle," Sanskrit kasati "rubs, scratches"). Meaning "offensive to feelings" is from 1570s; that of "disagreeable, rude" from 1610s.

etymonline