gnarl
Woody twisted lump
A gnarl is a knotty, twisted protuberance on a tree trunk or branch—the kind of rough, contorted growth that gives old oaks their character.
The verb means to twist or contort into knots: The wind had gnarled the coastal pines.
Gnarled hands are knotted and roughened, usually from age or hard labor.
In contemporary slang, gnar or gnarly describes something intense, extreme, or impressive—originally surfer slang for dangerous waves, now broader: That trick was gnar.
Knotty tree outgrowth
- knotTied rope fastening
- grainCereal plant's harvest unit
- barkSharp canine vocalization
- trunkMain stem or storage
oak · pine · cedar · branch · roots · timber · lumber · woodwork
Very old indeed
- hoaryAged and gray
- weatheredEroded by exposure
- time-wornEroded by age
- venerableDeserving honor for dignity
wizened · decrepit · worn · patina · furrowed · wrinkled · craggy · rugged
burl
Knotty tree outgrowth
trunk · oak · pine · cedar · branch · roots · timber · lumber · woodwork · carpentry
contort
Twist unnaturally
bend · curl · coil · deform · misshape · intertwine · entangle · crooked · crabbed · tortuous
ancient
Very old indeed
venerable · wizened · decrepit · worn · patina · furrowed · wrinkled · craggy · rugged · seasoned
cantankerous
Bad-tempered and argumentative
- curmudgeonlyBad-tempered and uncooperative
- crabbedCross and cramped
- churlishIll-mannered and rude
surly · irritable · crotchety · cranky · testy · peevish · gruff · ornery · crusty · snappish
snarl
Hostile vocal threat
mutter · rasp · gruff · guttural · throaty · feral · menacing · animalistic · primal · harsh
gnarlsmoothness
Freedom from irregularity
polish · sleekness · silkiness · glossiness · refinement
gnarlstraightness
Absence of curvature
linearity · straighten · smooth · unbend · align
- gnarled rootsTwisted underground tree parts