lowering

Meanings

Verb

• Present participle of lower

Noun

• The act of something being lowered.
• Alternative of louring.

Adjective

• Dark and menacing.
• That lowers or frowns.
• Lurking, skulking, menacing.

Origin

• 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.