• dour •
Pronunciation: dæ-wêr, dur • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: 1. Serious, stern, forbidding. 2. Determined, obstinate.
Notes: Today's Good Word has two pronunciations that lead to some confusion. [dæwêr] is probably preferred now in the US, though [dur] is preferred in Britain. However, you pronounce the stem, adverb is dourly and the noun, dourness.
In Play: Today's word can describe a facial expression: "The dour look on the face of Bea Heine made it clear that she was displeased with our antics." It is also reflective of attitude: "Bea's dour resistance to any innovation in the office routine made her a prime candidate for promotion."
Word History: Exactly where today's word comes from is unclear. It probably came from Middle Irish dúr, a word related to Latin durus "hard". The root of this word appears in many words borrowed from Latin and French, such as durable, during, and endure. The PIE root underlying these words, deru-/dru "hard, firm" is also responsible for Russian derevo "tree, wood", as well as Greek dendron "tree", a word seen in our "red tree", the rhododendron. The Latin word druides "druids" is probably a Celtic reduction of this root + wid- "to see", originally referring to "strong seers", the caste of Druid priests. (Which reminds me of the never dour Susan Lister, a strong seer of Good Words who spotted and recommended this one as a candidate for our series.)
DOUR
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DOUR
• The Good Dr. Goodword
Re: DOUR
"The dour look on the face of Bea Heine made it clear that she was displeased with our Dewar antics."
Another derivation is dryad: NOUN: Greek Mythology A divinity presiding over forests and trees; a wood nymphThe PIE root underlying these words, deru-/dru "hard, firm" is also responsible for Russian derevo "tree, wood",
The Monkees was a completely different show in the 60's.Well, I'll be a monkey's u.n.c.l.e.! Haven't seen that name in years...I don't think I've heard this word since David McCallum (Ilya Kuryakin) described himself as "just a dour Scot".
Sometimes my memory scares me.
(Sometimes your memory scares me, too! )
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
Anonymous
Anonymous
it scares me too. I'm a chimp's uncle.The Monkees was a completely different show in the 60's.Well, I'll be a monkey's u.n.c.l.e.! Haven't seen that name in years...I don't think I've heard this word since David McCallum (Ilya Kuryakin) described himself as "just a dour Scot".
Sometimes my memory scares me.
(Sometimes your memory scares me, too! )
mark monkey's-bro-in-law Bailey
Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Make the most of it...
kb
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- Great Grand Panjandrum
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Well, then, you just haven't been watching NCISlately, which is why you've missed Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard ...Well, I'll be a monkey's u.n.c.l.e.! Haven't seen that name in years...I don't think I've heard this word since David McCallum (Ilya Kuryakin) described himself as "just a dour Scot".
Sometimes my memory scares me.
(Sometimes your memory scares me, too! )
Regards//Larry
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
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