Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

scowl

/skaʊl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.51 in modern English

Syllables: scowl
IPA: /skaʊl/

10

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

1

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The wrinkling of the brows or face in frowning; the expression of displeasure, sullenness, or discontent in the countenance; an angry frown.

noun

Gloom; dark or threatening aspect.

verb

To wrinkle the brows, as in frowning or displeasure; to put on a frowning look; to look sour, sullen, severe, or angry.

Intransitive verb

verb

To look gloomy, dark, or threatening; to lower.

Intransitive verb

verb

To look at or repel with a scowl or a frown.

Transitive verb

verb

To express by a scowl.

Transitive verb

noun

Old workings of iron ore.

British usage; Obsolete; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"She made a scowl."
"Mr. Pynsent, who had asked Miss Amory to dance, came up on one occasion to claim her hand, but scowls of recognition having already passed between him and Mr. Arthur Pendennis in the dancing-room, Arthur suddenly rose up and claimed Miss Amory as his partner for the present dance […]"
"She scould, and frownd with froward countenaunce"
"The scowling heavens."
"to scowl a rival into submission"
"to scowl defiance"

Etymology

From Middle English scowlen, scoulen, skoulen (also as Middle English schoulen), probably of North Germanic origin. Compare Danish skule (“to scowl”), Norwegian skule (“to scowl”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: scowlen

Usage

Inflected Forms

scowls (plural) scowls (present, singular) scowling (participle, present) scowled (participle, past) scowled (past)

Derived Forms

scowlful scowly

Synonyms

frown

Rhymes With

foul owl howl growl fowl cowl prowl afoul soule sproul jowl houle

Questions

How do you pronounce scowl?: The recorded pronunciation is /skaʊl/.
What does scowl mean?: The wrinkling of the brows or face in frowning; the expression of displeasure, sullenness, or discontent in the countenance; an angry frown.
Where does scowl come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce scowl

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “scowl”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/skaʊl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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