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glower

[glou-er]
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verb (used without object)
  1. to look or stare with sullen dislike, discontent, or anger.
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noun
  1. a look of sullen dislike, discontent, or anger.
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Origin of glower

1350–1400; Middle English (Scots) glowren to glower; akin to Middle Low German glūren to be overcast, Middle Dutch gloeren to leer
Related formsglow·er·ing·ly, adverbun·glow·er·ing, adjectiveun·glow·er·ing·ly, adverb

Synonyms

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1. See glare1.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

scowlstaregloomlowerglarelookwatchsulk

Examples from the Web for glowering

Historical Examples

  • Bobby was glowering at the audience and grumbling into Sally's ear.

    The Dominant Strain

    Anna Chapin Ray

  • He paused, glowering down at her as if she, too, were white enough to hate.

    The Bondwoman

    Marah Ellis Ryan

  • "You're the man I saw at Heyler's," she said, glowering at him.

    The Green Rust

    Edgar Wallace

  • He rose with extraordinary agility and leant over, glowering at the girl.

    Jack O' Judgment

    Edgar Wallace

  • He paused for an answer, glowering at her; and she shrank, trembling, against the door.

    Bob, Son of Battle

    Alfred Ollivant

British Dictionary definitions for glowering

glower

verb
  1. (intr) to stare hard and angrily
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noun
  1. a sullen or angry stare
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Derived Formsgloweringly, adverb

Word Origin

C16: probably of Scandinavian origin; related to Middle Low German glūren to watch
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

Word Origin and History for glowering

glower

v.

mid-14c., "to shine;" c.1500, "to stare with wide eyes," perhaps from a Scandinavian source (cf. Norwegian dialectal glora "to glow"), from Proto-Germanic base *glo- (see glow (v.)), root of Old English glowan "to glow," which influenced the spelling. Or perhaps related to Middle Dutch gluren "to leer." Meaning "to look angrily, scowl" is first recorded 1775. Related: Glowered; glowering. As a noun, 1715, from the verb.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper