lowering
UK /ˈləʊ.ə.ɹɪŋ/ · US /ˈloʊ.ɚ.ɪŋ/ noun, adjective
Also a form of lower
Forms lowerings louring
- noun The act of something being lowered.
- noun (linguistics, phonetics) A sound change in which a vowel or consonant becomes lower.
- adjective (of sky or environment) Dark and menacing.
- adjective That lowers or frowns.
- adjective Lurking, skulking, menacing.
Synonyms
gloomy threatening frowning scowling sullen glowering letting down heavy
Antonyms
Etymology
c. 1600, "descend, sink, grow less or lower" (intransitive), from lower (adj.), comparative of low (adj.). Transitive meaning "let down, cause to descend" attested from 1650s. Related: Lowered; lowering. In the transitive sense "to cause to descend" the older verb was low. From Middle English lahghenn, (c. 1200), which continued in use into the 18c.
From Middle English louryng, louringe, lowrynge, later variant of lourand, lowrand, lourande, lowrande, equivalent to lour + -ing. Cognate with Dutch loerend (“lurking, louring”).
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “lowering”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details