sullen

English

Etymology

From Middle English solein, from Anglo-Norman soleyn (“alone”), from Old French sole (“single, sole, alone”), from Latin sōlus (“by oneself alone”). The change in meaning from "single" to morose occurred in Middle English.

Pronunciation

• enPR: sŭlʹən, IPA^(key): /ˈsʌlən/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌlən
• Hyphenation: sul‧len

Adjective

sullen (comparative sullener, superlative sullenest)

1. Having a brooding ill temper; sulky.
   • 1709, Matthew Prior, Pleasure:

     And sullen I forsook the imperfect feast.

   • 2007, Steven Wilson, "Normal", Porcupine Tree, Nil Recurring.

     Sullen and bored the kids stay / And in this way wish away each day

2. Gloomy; dismal; foreboding.

   a sullen atmosphere

   • c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , line 88:

     Our solemn hymns to sullen dirges change;

   • 1671, John Milton, “The First Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: J. M for John Starkey , →OCLC, page 27, lines 497–502:

     He added not; and Satan bowing low / His gray diſſimulation, diſappear'd / Into thin Air diffuſ'd: for now began / Night with her ſullen wing to double-ſhade / The Deſert; Fowls in thir clay neſts were couch't; / And now wild Beaſts came forth the woods to roam.

3. Sluggish; slow.
   • 1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], Waverley; , volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh:   James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:

     The larger [stream] was placid, and even sullen, in its course.

4. (obsolete) Lonely; solitary; desolate.
5. (obsolete) Mischievous; malignant; unpropitious.
   • 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. , London: T N for Henry Herringman, , published 1676, →OCLC, (please specify the page number):

     Such sullen planets at my birth did shine.

6. (obsolete) Obstinate; intractable.
   • a. 1694, John Tillotson, Imprudence of Atheism:

     Things are as sullen as we are.

Synonyms

(in a bad mood):

• sulky, morose

Antonyms

• cheerful
• content
• lighthearted
• pleased

Translations

Noun

sullen (plural sullens)

1. (obsolete) One who is solitary, or lives alone; a hermit.
2. (in the plural) Sullen feelings or manners; sulks; moroseness.
   • 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , line 139:

     And let them die that age and sullens have;

   • 1748, [Samuel Richardson], chapter 7, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: , volume I, London: S Richardson;  , →OCLC:

     [M]y brother […] charged my desire of being excused coming down to sullens, because a certain person had been spoken against, upon whom, as he supposed, my fancy ran.

Anagrams

• unsell

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch sulan.

Verb

sullen

1. (auxiliary) must, to have to
2. (auxiliary, negated) may, be allowed to
3. (auxiliary) will, shall, be going to (future tense)
   • 1249, Schepenbrief van Bochoute, Velzeke, eastern Flanders:

     Descepenen van bochouta quedden alle degene die dese lettren sien selen i(n) onsen here.

     The aldermen of Bochoute address all who will see this letter by our lord.

4. (auxiliary, in the past tense) to be about to (inchoative)
5. (modal auxiliary) indicates a possible or hypothetical situation
6. (modal auxiliary) indicates information garnered from a third party that may or may not be reliable

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Alternative forms

• suelen
• sēlen
• sellen
• sōlen
• sollen

Descendants

• Dutch: zullen
  • Afrikaans: sal
  • Jersey Dutch: zal
  • Negerhollands: sa, sal
  • Skepi Creole Dutch: sa
• Limburgish: zölle, zólle

Further reading

• “sullen”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “sullen”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

Middle English

Verb

sullen

1. Alternative form of sellen

Northern Sami

Pronunciation

This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with the IPA then please add some!

Verb

sūllen

1. first-person singular past indicative of suollit