dour
pronunciation
How to pronounce dour in British English:
UK [ˈdaʊə(r)]
How to pronounce dour in American English:
US [dʊr, daʊr]
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- Adjective:
- stubbornly unyielding
- harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance
- showing a brooding ill humor
Word Origin
- dour (adj.)
- mid-14c., "severe," from Scottish and northern England dialect, probably from Latin durus "hard" (see endure); sense of "gloomy, sullen" is late 15c.
Example
- 1. The conservatives and their dour , cold prime minister have been stuck in the high 30s in the opinion polls for years , whereas pundits reckon that 42 % is needed for a majority .
- 2. I 'm sick of dour faces staring at me from the t.v. tower .
- 3. Apart from a rather dour , but tactically intriguing , cup final it has been the most tense season for years .
- 4. They suffered from dour resist .
- 5. The person you are addressing is rather dour and matter-of-fact .