Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1400-1500
Origin: ruly 'behaving well' (15-21 centuries), from rule

unruly

 adjective
     
un‧ru‧ly
1 violent or difficult to control [= wild]:
unruly children
unruly behaviour
2 unruly hair is difficult to keep tidy
—unruliness noun [uncountable]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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