Meaning
Badly behaved, disobedient, or disrespectful — especially of a child who won't listen or a young person who defies authority. To be 'rude' is to be out of order and to lack manners, and a 'rude pickney' is a naughty, unruly child. The word gave rise to the whole 'rude boy' culture of the 1960s — the defiant, sharp-dressed young rebels of the ghetto celebrated in ska and rocksteady — so it carries both scolding and a certain rebel swagger.
Examples
-
Dat pickney too rude, him nah listen.
That child is too naughty; he won't listen.
-
Nuh badda gwaan rude wid mi.
Don't behave disrespectfully with me.
-
Di rude bwoy dem inna di dance.
The rude boys are in the dance.
Origin
From English 'rude'; badly behaved/disrespectful — root of the 'rude boy'. See [[rude-bwoy]], [[out-of-order]].
How it’s used
Badly behaved/disrespectful, esp. of a child; root of 'rude boy'. See [[rude-bwoy]], [[out-of-order]].