curtness

Was that unusual curtness directed at her, or was it something else?

Perhaps, going for crispness, van Zweden occasionally erred on the side of curtness, and the final movement sometimes tipped into feeling more driven than witty.

And curtness will probably serve you better than trying to illustrate the boundaries of acceptable questions to tenacious neighbors.

Yet, despite their curtness, the soldiers, surprisingly, had not been rough with her.

It should not matter what the grievance is; to speak with such curtness to someone who is powerless to respond – except by censure – is out of order.