Dour
adjective
Unfriendly, not showing any warmth or happiness.
Despite his dour demeanor, he's actually very kind.
Often appears as...
- dour expression
- dour face
adjective
Serious and severe, often in a way that is seen as harsh or difficult.
They faced the dour task of cleaning up the mess.
Often appears as...
- a dour task
- dour conditions
adjective
Unfriendly, not showing any warmth or happiness.
Despite his dour demeanor, he's actually very kind.
Often appears as...
- dour expression
- dour face
adjective
Serious and severe, often in a way that is seen as harsh or difficult.
They faced the dour task of cleaning up the mess.
Often appears as...
- a dour task
- dour conditions
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Not Rude
Dour may imply grumpiness, not necessarily rudeness or unkindness.
His dour expression seemed off-putting, but he greeted everyone politely.
Pro Tip 2/3Subdued Emotion
Dour refers to a lack of visible emotion rather than just sadness.
She remained dour during the celebration, barely cracking a smile.
Pro Tip 3/3Masked Kindness
Someone may appear dour but can exhibit kindness or warmth unexpectedly.
The teacher's dour face intimidated students, yet he was always ready to help.
Pro Tip 1/3Not Rude
Dour may imply grumpiness, not necessarily rudeness or unkindness.
His dour expression seemed off-putting, but he greeted everyone politely.
Pro Tip 2/3Subdued Emotion
Dour refers to a lack of visible emotion rather than just sadness.
She remained dour during the celebration, barely cracking a smile.
Pro Tip 3/3Masked Kindness
Someone may appear dour but can exhibit kindness or warmth unexpectedly.
The teacher's dour face intimidated students, yet he was always ready to help.
Pro Tip 1/3Not Rude
Dour may imply grumpiness, not necessarily rudeness or unkindness.
His dour expression seemed off-putting, but he greeted everyone politely.
Pro Tip 2/3Subdued Emotion
Dour refers to a lack of visible emotion rather than just sadness.
She remained dour during the celebration, barely cracking a smile.
Pro Tip 3/3Masked Kindness
Someone may appear dour but can exhibit kindness or warmth unexpectedly.
The teacher's dour face intimidated students, yet he was always ready to help.
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Video examples
Nancy Etcoff: Happiness...
The Pursuit of Happiness and Human Design. I put up a somewhat dour Darwin, but a very happy chimp up there. My first point is that the pursuit of happiness is obligatory. Man wishes to be happy, only wishes to be happy, and cannot wish not to be so. We are wired to pursue happiness,
Video examples
The surprising science...
this is called hooked on a feeling the pursuit of happiness in human design I put up a somewhat dour Darwin but a very happy chimp up there my first point is that the pursuit of happiness is obligatory man wishes to be happy only wishes to be
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 360 PIPE...
follow our hyena off-road you've got to keep your distance because they don't tolerate it quite as well as lions and leopards do but they also tend to walk in straight a dour directions so you can
Video examples
Breaking boundaries,...
of suffrage civil rights immigrant rights children's rights pacifism had Jane Addams fingerprints all over it and although she looks kind of a dour sort she actually was a huge fan of play she
Video examples
Nancy Etcoff: Happiness...
The Pursuit of Happiness and Human Design. I put up a somewhat dour Darwin, but a very happy chimp up there. My first point is that the pursuit of happiness is obligatory. Man wishes to be happy, only wishes to be happy, and cannot wish not to be so. We are wired to pursue happiness,
Video examples
The surprising science...
this is called hooked on a feeling the pursuit of happiness in human design I put up a somewhat dour Darwin but a very happy chimp up there my first point is that the pursuit of happiness is obligatory man wishes to be happy only wishes to be
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 360 PIPE...
follow our hyena off-road you've got to keep your distance because they don't tolerate it quite as well as lions and leopards do but they also tend to walk in straight a dour directions so you can
Video examples
Breaking boundaries,...
of suffrage civil rights immigrant rights children's rights pacifism had Jane Addams fingerprints all over it and although she looks kind of a dour sort she actually was a huge fan of play she
Example 1 of 4
Quote examples
David Blunkett
British Politician
If you have a sense of irony or humour, you're usually cut down, as you're usually distorted or misinterpreted. So it does lead to us being slightly more dour and staid and predictable than would otherwise be the case, which I personally find quite frustrating - because if you don't laugh occasionally in my job, you cry most of the time.
Quote examples
Richard Corliss
American Writer
Under the Skin' is handsome, in a dour way, but inert - a cunning experiment that died in the shooting or on the editing table. You'll want to get the DVD, though, and not just for its study of Scarlett. Odds are that the Making-Of documentary will be far stranger and more fascinating than the movie that was made.
Quote examples
Roisin Murphy
Irish Musician
With Moloko, we tried to be the opposite of what was out there at the time. I like to be different. In the mid-Nineties, music was quite dour and serious, and everything was dressed down. So we went the other way. Our first record was about not wanting to do four-to-the-floor dance music.
Quote examples
Rege-Jean Page
English Actor
I clearly had a career in musical theater ahead of me and somewhere took a left turn and started getting all dour and serious and doing emotionally broken dukes.
Quote examples
A. Scott Berg
American Historian
When most people think of Woodrow Wilson, they see a dour minister's son who never cracked a smile, where in fact he was a man of genuine joy and great sadness.
Quote examples
Roland Orzabal
English Musician
When I became a parent I forgot about the part of myself which was very emotional, very dour a little depressed - but very good at writing emotional songs.
Quote examples
Ken Loach
English Director
I challenge the idea that films about rich people are escapism and films about working class people are dour and sad. I find the opposite's the case.
Quote examples
Jo Durie
British Athlete
The British public like a Briton with personality, someone who comes out on court and isn't dour and down on themselves.
Quote examples
John Podhoretz
American Writer
America may be in a dour condition, but it is not going to elect a dour president.
Quote examples
Damon Lindelof
American Writer
I don't think anybody wants to see a dour 'Star Trek' movie.
Quote examples
David Blunkett
British Politician
If you have a sense of irony or humour, you're usually cut down, as you're usually distorted or misinterpreted. So it does lead to us being slightly more dour and staid and predictable than would otherwise be the case, which I personally find quite frustrating - because if you don't laugh occasionally in my job, you cry most of the time.
Quote examples
Richard Corliss
American Writer
Under the Skin' is handsome, in a dour way, but inert - a cunning experiment that died in the shooting or on the editing table. You'll want to get the DVD, though, and not just for its study of Scarlett. Odds are that the Making-Of documentary will be far stranger and more fascinating than the movie that was made.
Quote examples
Roisin Murphy
Irish Musician
With Moloko, we tried to be the opposite of what was out there at the time. I like to be different. In the mid-Nineties, music was quite dour and serious, and everything was dressed down. So we went the other way. Our first record was about not wanting to do four-to-the-floor dance music.
Quote examples
Rege-Jean Page
English Actor
I clearly had a career in musical theater ahead of me and somewhere took a left turn and started getting all dour and serious and doing emotionally broken dukes.
Quote examples
A. Scott Berg
American Historian
When most people think of Woodrow Wilson, they see a dour minister's son who never cracked a smile, where in fact he was a man of genuine joy and great sadness.
Quote examples
Roland Orzabal
English Musician
When I became a parent I forgot about the part of myself which was very emotional, very dour a little depressed - but very good at writing emotional songs.
Quote examples
Ken Loach
English Director
I challenge the idea that films about rich people are escapism and films about working class people are dour and sad. I find the opposite's the case.
Quote examples
Jo Durie
British Athlete
The British public like a Briton with personality, someone who comes out on court and isn't dour and down on themselves.
Quote examples
John Podhoretz
American Writer
America may be in a dour condition, but it is not going to elect a dour president.
Quote examples
Damon Lindelof
American Writer
I don't think anybody wants to see a dour 'Star Trek' movie.
Example 1 of 10
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