scowl

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English scowlen, scoulen, skoulen (also as Middle English schoulen), probably of (deprecated template usage) [etyl]  origin. Compare Danish skule (“to scowl”), Norwegian skule (“to scowl”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: skoul, IPA^(key): /skaʊl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aʊl

Noun

scowl (plural scowls)

1. The wrinkling of the brows or face in frowning; the expression of displeasure, sullenness, or discontent in the countenance; an angry frown.
2. (by extension) Gloom; dark or threatening aspect.

Derived terms

• scowlful
• scowly

Translations

wrinkling of the brows or face

• Bulgarian: муся се (musja se)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 皺眉／皱眉 (zh) (zhòuméi), 皱眉 (zh) (zhòuméi)

• Czech: zakabonění se
• Finnish: kurtistus, murjotus (fi)
• French: froncement (fr) m
• German: Stirnrunzeln n
• Irish: púic f
• Italian: cipiglio
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: しかめる (ja) (shikameru)
• Macedonian: мурти се (murti se)
• Maori: tukemata
• Persian: دژبرویی (dožboruyi)
• Portuguese: carranca (pt) f, cenho (pt) m
• Russian: нахму́ренность (ru) f (naxmúrennostʹ)
• Spanish: ceño (es) m
• Swedish: bister uppsyn
• Welsh: cadwch m

gloom; dark or threatening aspect

• Finnish: synkkä ilme, mulkoilu, murjotus (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Verb

Girl scowling.

scowl (third-person singular simple present scowls, present participle scowling, simple past and past participle scowled)

1. (intransitive) To wrinkle the brows, as in frowning or displeasure; to put on a frowning look; to look sour, sullen, severe, or angry.
   • Spenser

     She scowled and frowned with froward countenance.

2. (intransitive, by extension) To look gloomy, dark, or threatening; to lower.
   • Thomson

     The scowling heavens.

3. (transitive) To look at or repel with a scowl or a frown.

   to scowl a rival into submission

4. (transitive) To express by a scowl.

   to scowl defiance

Translations

to wrinkle the brows

• Arabic: عَبَسَ (ʕabasa)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 皺眉／皱眉 (zh) (zhòuméi), 皱眉 (zh) (zhòuméi)

• Czech: kabonit se, zamračit se
• Finnish: kurtistaa (fi), murjottaa (fi)
• French: froncer (fr), froncer les sourcils (fr)
• German: ^{(please verify)} die Stirn runzeln
• Greek: αγριοκοιτάζω (el) (agriokoitázo)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: accigliarsi
• Japanese: 顰める (ja) (しかめる, shikameru, ひそめる, hisomeru), にらむ (niramu)
• Maori: kōruru te rae
• Portuguese: franzir o cenho
• Romanian: încrunta (ro)
• Russian: ^{(please verify)} хму́рить бро́ви impf (xmúritʹ bróvi) , ^{(please verify)} нахму́рить бро́ви pf (naxmúritʹ bróvi) , ^{(please verify)} хму́риться (ru) impf (xmúritʹsja), ^{(please verify)} нахму́риться (ru) pf (naxmúritʹsja), ^{(please verify)} мо́рщить лоб impf (mórščitʹ lob) , ^{(please verify)} намо́рщить лоб pf (namórščitʹ lob) , ^{(please verify)} мо́рщиться (ru) impf (mórščitʹsja), ^{(please verify)} намо́рщиться (ru) pf (namórščitʹsja)
• Spanish: fruncir el ceño m

to look gloomy

• Arabic: عَبَسَ (ʕabasa)
• Finnish: synkistellä (fi), julmistella, murjottaa (fi)
• Maori: whakapoururu
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: хму́риться (ru) impf (xmúritʹsja), нахму́риться (ru) pf (naxmúritʹsja)

to look at or repel with a scowl or a frown

• Finnish: mulkoilla (fi)
• Greek: αγριοκοιτάζω (el) (agriokoitázo)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: guardare in cagnesco

to express by a scowl

• Finnish: mulkoilla (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Greek: αγριοκοιτάζω (el) (agriokoitázo)

Etymology 2

Noun

scowl (uncountable)

1. (UK, dialect, obsolete) Old workings of iron ore.

Anagrams

• Clows, cowls