Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • See lower.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Zoöl.) An Asiatic sardine (Clupea Neohowii), valued for its oil.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb intransitive To be dark, gloomy, and threatening, as clouds; to be covered with dark and threatening clouds, as the sky; to show threatening signs of approach, as a tempest.
  • verb intransitive To frown; to look sullen.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
  • verb make lower or quieter
  • verb set lower

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English lour ("sad or frowning countenance"), louren ("to frown or scowl; to be dark or overcast; look askant, mistrust; wither, fade, droop; lurk, skulk")

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Examples

  • The sun might shine, or the clouds might lour: but nothing could appear to me as it had done the day before.

    Chapter 23 2010

  • The sun might shine, or the clouds might lour; but nothing could appear to me as it had done the day before.

    Chapter 6 2010

  • The Solution Next morning, after breakfast, we found Inspector MacDonald and White Mason seated in close consultation in the small par - lour of the local police sergeant.

    Chennai 2010

  • Eighty people stood together in boxcars for lour sweltering days and nights.

    The Last Days Of Auschwitz 2008

  • Seek to be prosperous; once let fortune lour, and the aid supplied by friends is naught.

    The Phoenissae 2008

  • May 8th, 2009 at 11:53 am hi fergie im so a fan you are my god sumit lour

    Casting Director’s No-Brainer: Fergie Cast As Prostitute | YepYep - Your Daily Waste Of Time 2008

  • Seek to be prosperous; once let fortune lour, and the aid supplied by friends is naught.

    The Phoenissae 2008

  • September 11, 2008 at 2:42 pm kurtsee nawt neded wen ai em awn da pu troll heer , just in kort nd cween iz owt ub pokut naow so no kort. du nawt lour yur hed until it feles beddur. taik sum asprinz oar parrotseed pilz wut Tidmum haz nd drink sum waddur.

    Experience cat gives advice: - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger? 2008

  • We are living in an ocean of Govt debt, fuelled by abject incompetence in almost every Dept of State and the appalling burden of public service inflation-proof pensions that will lour over our children and grandchildren.

    Gordon Brown Meets the Ten Year Olds 2007

  • But soon after, in whipt my indiscreet lord, his co-lour heightened, his features working: and though I cautioned him not to expose himself, yet he as-sumed airs that were the occasion, as you shall hear, of frighting away my company.

    Sir Charles Grandison 2006

Comments

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  • It's a variant of lower which can have ambiguous meaning. Generally, when referring to one's angry stare, it's better to use "lour" rather than "lower".

    August 21, 2008