Sample sentences for DOUR - verbalworkout.com

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Definition

very serious, unhappy, and unfriendly

dour = very serious, unhappy, and unfriendly

She generally looks downright dour.
humorless and dour
a dour, self-sacrificing life
Lady Luck has been good to me and I fancy she has been good to everyone. Only some people are dour, and when she gives them the come hither with her eyes, they look down or turn away and lift an eyebrow. But me, I give her the wink and away we go.
William Allen White
dour determination
He held my friend's card in his hand, and he looked up with no very pleased expression upon his dour features.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- The Return of Sherlock Holmes
She gave him a hug, and his normally dour face lit up.
Jane Yolen -- The Devils Arithmetic

dour = unhappy

Maybe that warmth is genuine, maybe I should be ashamed of my dour, cynical thoughts.
Margaret Atwood -- Cat's Eye
His visor had been removed from his helm, to better show his dour face; pouchy bags under his eyes, a wide sour mouth, rusty hair spotted with grey.
George R.R. Martin -- A Game of Thrones
She talked only of the weather, the flowers, but there was a rising gaiety in her which stirred even the dour Cecil Twyford.
Sinclair Lewis -- Arrowsmith
The next one was led by the dour German nun who ran the chapel and was so vague it's hard to recall but dealt with "personal growth."
Piper Kerman -- Orange Is the New Black
He studied the hooting crowd dourly before taking a deep bow.
Ransom Riggs -- Hollow City
'It's all for the officials,' added the co-pilot dourly.
Robert Ludlum -- The Bourne Supremacy
The next thing after was a piece of dour misfortune, the like of that which has been on me all the while.
T. H. White -- The Once and Future King
Olivetti pursed his lips, looking dour.
Dan Brown -- Angels & Demons
KELLER, [DOURLY]: Why do you wear them, the sun has been down for an hour.
William Gibson -- The Miracle Worker
He was one of those large, dour men whose laughter was surprising in its infectiousness.
Pat Conroy -- The Lords of Discipline
"You get him," he repeated dourly.
Robert Penn Warren -- All the King's Men
Zooey used his nail file in silence for a moment, his face singularly dour in expression.
J.D. Salinger -- Franny and Zooey

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