Dourness

Though he has some of the dour qualities of a stereotypical literary figure of that occupation, such dourness is shot through and almost eradicated by a number of complexities and redemptive qualities. ❋ Unknown (2007)

And pretty much in sync with why I think Gordon Brown's intensity and dourness is less of a negative and more of a positive in real terms. ❋ Jeff (2007)

The beauty of the scene, the pleasant talk, the daffodils on the green isle among the Celtic graves, compensate for a certain "dourness" among the fishes of Loch Awe. ❋ Andrew Lang (1878)

The speeches over bargaining recommences moistened by toddy, which fluid appears to exercise an appreciable softening influence on the "dourness" of the market. ❋ Archibald Forbes (1869)

Business is lively here, the chronic "dourness" of a market being discounted by the scarcity of horseflesh. ❋ Archibald Forbes (1869)

Some people are called pessimists because of their persistent dourness, but I think they are optimists. ❋ Mike Ragogna (2011)

It embraces a politics of shame and dourness, hoping not to offend, rather than pushing back. ❋ Benjamin Shepard (2011)

He has a tendency to be something of a gloom merchant, but despite this dourness, GLOIN is also strong and brave and loyal – and ultimately a lovable and endearing character. ❋ Unknown (2010)

A peculiarly Victorian dourness aside, the lady has a point: when one stops to consider the ingredients that go into these confections – butter, sugar, eggs, exotic fruits, spices and, of course, booze – they start to seem less the kind of thing one might expect to find in a Girl Guide's picnic baskets, and more a riot of devil-may-care festive decadence. ❋ Unknown (2011)

Roy Hodgson and Martin O'Neill appeared to have exposed an unsuspected weakness in a team who had started the campaign by shedding last season's dourness in favour of a more positive approach. ❋ Unknown (2012)

In one of these, that great lighthearted spirit Liam Neeson shows up and announces, with characteristic dourness, that he's now decided to go into comedy and would like the producers to do an improv scene with him. ❋ Dorothy Rabinowitz (2012)

In what many describe as a period of exceptional dourness, retired military officers, journalists, teachers and government workers have publicly complained about the direction Jordan is heading. ❋ Unknown (2010)