Lour

//ˈlaʊə// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A frown, a scowl; an angry or sullen look.

    "I have ſuch averſion to ill temper, that I could ſooner forgive my wife adultery, than croſſneſs. I cannot taſte Caſſio's kiſs on her lips; but I can ſee a lour on her brow."

  2. 2
    Of the sky, the weather, etc.: a dark, gloomy, and threatening appearance. figuratively
Verb
  1. 1
    To frown; to look sullen. intransitive

    "[...] Juno took her place: But ſullen Diſcontent ſat lowring on her Face."

  2. 2
    look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval wordnet
  3. 3
    To be dark, gloomy, and threatening, as clouds; of the sky: to be covered with dark and threatening clouds; to show threatening signs of approach, as a tempest. figuratively, intransitive

    "Now is the winter of our diſcontent, Made glorious ſummer by this ſonne of Yorke: And all the cloudes that lowrd vpon our houſe, In the deepe boſome of the Ocean buried."

  4. 4
    make lower or quieter wordnet
  5. 5
    set lower wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

The verb is derived from Middle English louren, lour, loure (“to frown or scowl; to be dark or overcast; to droop, fade, wither; to lurk, skulk”), probably from Old English *lūran, *lūrian, from Proto-Germanic *lūraną (“to lie in wait, lurk”). The English word is cognate with Danish lure (“to lie in ambush; to take a nap”), Middle Dutch loeren (modern Dutch loeren (“to lurk, spy on”)), Middle Low German lûren (“to lie in ambush”), German Low German luren (“to lurk”), Middle High German lūren (“to lie in ambush”) (modern German lauern (“to lie in ambush; to lurk”)), Icelandic lúra (“to take a nap”), Saterland Frisian luurje (“to lie in wait”), West Frisian loere (“to lurk”), and Swedish lura (“to lie in ambush; to deceive, fool, trick; to lure; to take a nap”); and is related to lurk. The noun is derived from the verb.

Etymology 2

The verb is derived from Middle English louren, lour, loure (“to frown or scowl; to be dark or overcast; to droop, fade, wither; to lurk, skulk”), probably from Old English *lūran, *lūrian, from Proto-Germanic *lūraną (“to lie in wait, lurk”). The English word is cognate with Danish lure (“to lie in ambush; to take a nap”), Middle Dutch loeren (modern Dutch loeren (“to lurk, spy on”)), Middle Low German lûren (“to lie in ambush”), German Low German luren (“to lurk”), Middle High German lūren (“to lie in ambush”) (modern German lauern (“to lie in ambush; to lurk”)), Icelandic lúra (“to take a nap”), Saterland Frisian luurje (“to lie in wait”), West Frisian loere (“to lurk”), and Swedish lura (“to lie in ambush; to deceive, fool, trick; to lure; to take a nap”); and is related to lurk. The noun is derived from the verb.

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: lour