Churlish (5)

I think it could be either:

gruff

surly

'churlish' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

This is all the clue.

(Other definitions for gruff that I've seen before include "Abrupt in sound or manner" , "Abrupt in manner - rough and low in pitch" , "Rough-sounding" , "Hoarse" , "Surly -- rough-spoken" .)

I've seen this clue in the Wall Street Journal, the Evening Standard, The Telegraph, the Newsday.com, the L.A. Times Magazine, the New York Times, the L.A. Times Sunday, The Times and the King Feature Syndicate.

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