dour

[ door, douuhr, dou-er ]
See synonyms for: dourdourness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. sullen; gloomy: The captain's dour look depressed us all.

  2. severe; stern: His dour criticism made us regret having undertaken the job.

  1. Scot. (of land) barren; rocky, infertile, or otherwise difficult or impossible to cultivate.

Origin of dour

1
1325–75; Middle English, from Latin dūrus dure1

synonym study For dour

1. See glum.

Other words for dour

Other words from dour

  • dourly, adverb
  • dourness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use dour in a sentence

  • I’ve met people who stay in town or indoors as much as they can, and they tend to get more dour as time goes on.

  • I have met northern dourness and the inarticulate manner which is such a contrast to the gushing and noisy effusion of the south.

  • Too intent upon her own feelings to give heed to the dourness of the lad Peggy followed him silently as he strode from the house.

    Peggy Owen at Yorktown | Lucy Foster Madison
  • His unhappy daughter Mary (who built the College Chapel) hangs near him, her full dourness and wretchedness in her face.

  • Theres a judgment in this; and, if theres power in the law o Scotland, Ill gar thee rue sic dourness.

    The Entail | John Galt
  • All grim and grey, and waste, and dourness and dool; like the army as it returns frae the fecht.

British Dictionary definitions for dour

dour

/ (dʊə, ˈdaʊə) /


adjective
  1. sullen

  2. hard or obstinate

Origin of dour

1
C14: probably from Latin dūrus hard

Derived forms of dour

  • dourly, adverb
  • dourness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012