— callously , adv. — callousness , n.
/kal"euhs/ , adj.
1. made hard; hardened.
2. insensitive; indifferent; unsympathetic: They have a callous attitude toward the sufferings of others.
3. having a callus; indurated, as parts of the skin exposed to friction.
v.t. , v.i.
4. to make or become hard or callous.
[ 1375-1425; late ME callosus hard-skinned, tough, equiv. to call ( um ) tough skin, any hard substance + -osus -OUS ]
Syn. 1. hard. 2. inured, insensible, obtuse. See hard .
Ant. 1. soft. 2. sensitive.