- doleful
- doleful late 13c., with -FUL (Cf. -ful), from M.E. dole "grief" (early 13c.), from O.Fr. doel (Mod.Fr. deuil), from L.L. dolus "grief," from L. dolere "suffer, grieve." Related: Dolefully.
Etymology dictionary. 2014.
doleful
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Doleful — Dole ful, a. Full of dole or grief; expressing or exciting sorrow; sorrowful; sad; dismal. [1913 Webster] With screwed face and doleful whine. South. [1913 Webster] Regions of sorrow, doleful shades. Milton. Syn: Piteous; rueful; sorrowful;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
doleful — index deplorable, disconsolate, lamentable, lugubrious Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
doleful — lugubrious, dolorous, *melancholy, plaintive, rueful Analogous words: mourning or mournful, sorrowing or sorrowful, grieving (see corresponding verbs at GRIEVE): piteous, *pitiful Antonyms: cheerful, cheery … New Dictionary of Synonyms
doleful — [adj] depressing afflicted, cast down, cheerless, crestfallen, dejected, depressed, dirgeful, dismal, dispirited, distressing, dolent, dolorous, down, downcast, downhearted, down in the mouth*, dreary, forlorn, funereal, gloomy, grieving,… … New thesaurus
doleful — ► ADJECTIVE 1) sorrowful. 2) causing grief or misfortune. DERIVATIVES dolefully adverb. ORIGIN from Old French doel mourning , from Latin dolere grieve … English terms dictionary
doleful — [dōl′səmdōl′fəl] adj. [ME dolful < dol, grief (< OFr doel < VL dolus, grief, pain < L dolere, to suffer < IE base * del , *dol , to split, cut) + ful, FUL] full of or causing sorrow or sadness; mournful; melancholy: also Rare… … English World dictionary
doleful — adjective Date: 13th century 1. causing grief or affliction < a doleful loss > 2. full of grief ; cheerless < a doleful face > 3. expressing grief ; sad < a doleful melody > • … New Collegiate Dictionary
doleful — [[t]do͟ʊlfʊl[/t]] ADJ GRADED A doleful expression, manner, or voice is depressing and miserable. He stared over his glasses with a long, doleful look of disbelief. Syn: mournful Derived words: dolefully ADV GRADED ADV with v I don t know why they … English dictionary
doleful — dolefully, adv. dolefulness, n. /dohl feuhl/, adj. sorrowful; mournful; melancholy: a doleful look on her face. [1225 75; ME dol ful. See DOLE2, FUL] * * * … Universalium
doleful — adjective griefful, mournful, bringing feelings of sadness. The doleful peal of the bell indicated another funeral was being held … Wiktionary
