English Dictionary

DOUR

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does dour mean? 

DOUR (adjective)
  The adjective DOUR has 3 senses:

1. stubbornly unyieldingplay

2. harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearanceplay

3. showing a brooding ill humorplay

  Familiarity information: DOUR used as an adjective is uncommon.


 Dictionary entry details 


DOUR (adjective)

 Declension: comparative and superlative 
Comparative: dourer  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Superlative: dourest  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation


Sense 1

Meaning:

Stubbornly unyielding

Synonyms:

dogged; dour; persistent; pertinacious; tenacious; unyielding

Context example:

men tenacious of opinion

Similar:

obstinate; stubborn; unregenerate (tenaciously unwilling or marked by tenacious unwillingness to yield)


Sense 2

Meaning:

Harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance

Synonyms:

dour; forbidding; grim

Context example:

undoubtedly the grimmest part of him was his iron claw

Similar:

unpleasant (offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness)


Sense 3

Meaning:

Showing a brooding ill humor

Synonyms:

dark; dour; glowering; glum; moody; morose; saturnine; sour; sullen

Context example:

a sullen crowd

Similar:

ill-natured (having an irritable and unpleasant disposition)


 Context examples 


Your partner, in love, marriage, or business, seems to be in a dour mood, which won’t help matters.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

He held my friend’s card in his hand, and he looked up with no very pleased expression upon his dour features.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)



 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"A good man in an evil society seems the greatest villain of all." (English proverb)

"It's impossible to awaken a man who is pretending to be asleep." (Native American proverb, Navajo)

"If a poor man ate it, they would say it was because of his stupidity." (Arabic proverb)

"The fox can lose his fur but not his cunning." (Corsican proverb)



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