Glum

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“Glum” the adjective – to look sullen and frowning if referring a person, or to look gloomy, dark, and dismal if a thing – is apparently related to the verbs “glum” and “gloom”.  Now, I had thought that “glum” was an affect – a feeling.  Nope.  It’s an appearance, something we can see.  Related to a Low German word meaning “muddy”.

Very well, “glum” the obsolete yet occasionally dialectical verb means to look sullen.  To show a frown or scowl.  Nothing about underlying causes.  Etymologically, it also comes from the verb “gloom”.

To “gloom” is to look sullen, dismal dejected – the weather can gloom as well as persons by looking dark.  Also one can gloom something by making it dark or melancholy (but isn’t melancholy on the inside, not an appearance?)

Etymologically, our word comes through Middle German words for muddiness, fraudlent conduct(how interesting), and fogginess.  OED is quite clear that it’s a different root from “gloaming” and other twilight-related words.

  • 02.036 There they all sat glum
  • 07.142 and don’t look so glum.
  • 11.020 and glummer
  • 11.020 and glummer they became.
  • 13.059 said Bilbo glumly.

“gloom, v.1.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, June 2015. Web. 26 July 2015.

“glum, adj.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, June 2015. Web. 26 July 2015.

“glum, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, June 2015. Web. 26 July 2015.

Glower

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“Glower” in its Scottish regional meaning means simply to stare intently, sometimes with an air of surprise.  In its second meaning, and this is how I’ve always understood it, to glower is to stare angrily (or if one is the weather, to have an appearance of darkness or gloominess).

The etymology of the word is obscure, bless it, and may have to do with the second meaning of the verb “glow” which is to stare.  Or it could be from “glore” which is to stare fixedly in its second meaning (first meaning, to shine.  Now a whole new exploration of words that means both to emit light and to perceive it presents itself).  “Glore” is related to “glare” and probably is related to the Old Icelandic “glóra” – to gleam and glare as the eyes of a cat!  Aha! and cat eyes seem to give light as they reflect it as well as to see all.  We may have it!

If the peaks of the mountains glowered against the sunset – my goodness.  Those mountains are west of them, the Misty Mountains which they have just left behind.  Are they glowing, limned with sunset light?  Are they dark?  Are they anthropomorphically expressing anger, as Caradhras will in a later novel?  All these things together?

“Glower” has just been upgraded to a gem word!

  • 07.132 and the peaks of the mountains glowered against the sunset

“glore, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, June 2015. Web. 26 July 2015.

“glower, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, June 2015. Web. 26 July 2015.

Gloin

adindragonsbloom ,

A note on the naming of dwarves.

  • 01.046 Oin, and Gloin were their names;
  • 01.095 Gloin speaking: ‘Humph!’ (or some snort more or less like that).
  • 01.098 Yes, yes, but that was long ago,’ said Gloin.
  • 01.100 He scowled so angrily at Gloin
  • 02.034 not even Oin and Gloin,
  • 02.036 and Gloin went on trying to light the fire,
  • 02.038 and Gloin began to fight.
  • 02.075 and Oin and Gloin
  • 04.013 and Gloin wanted to light a fire at the door to dry their clothes,
  • 06.052 and Gloin were more comfortable
  • 06.099 and Gloin had lost their tinder-boxes.
  • 07.081 Oin and Gloin yet.
  • 08.021 Kili came to his help, and then Oin and Gloin.
  • 08.024 After that Kili and Oin and Gloin and Dori;
  • 08.073 Oin, Gloin, Fili, Kili,
  • 10.015 and Gloin were waterlogged
  • 13.013 and Gloin have not lost their tinder-boxes,
  • 13.016 and Gloin were sent back to their bundles at the top of the tunnel.
  • 13.017 and Gloin with a bundle of others under his arm.
  • 13.025 Thorin! Balin! Oin! Gloin!
  • 13.031 Gloin lit several more torches,
  • 18.033 and Oin and Gloin, and Bifur and Bofur and Bombur –
  • 18.038 Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur!

Gloat

adindragonsbloom , ,

“Gloat” does not mean anything like what I thought it meant.  “Gloat” is to gaze – askance, furtively, amourously, admiringly, in its obscure meanings, which predate the current one.  Here we are now:

To gaze with intense or passionate satisfaction (usually implying a lustful, avaricious or malignant pleasure). Now almost exclusively to gloat on, upon, or over : to feast one’s eyes upon, to contemplate, think of, or dwell upon with fierce or unholy joy.

The first use of it is given from Clarissa, which perfectly illustrates the creepiness factor.  This third sense has something to do in its origins with “glut”.  It comes from German, Swedish, and Old Norse words for “glare”, “peep”, and – get this – “grin”.

Now, I have always thought that “gloat” is like “boast” – something one does with words, not eyes, but definitely related to avariciousness and thus to pride.  Tolkien used it in this way in the quotation under consideration:

Now I am old and strong, strong, strong, Thief in the Shadows!’ he gloated. ‘My armour is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!’

The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives us something to hold on to:

  to look or glance admiringly or amorously… (2) to observe or think about something with triumphant and often malicious satisfaction, gratification, or delight.
and M-W presents as the primary, easy-to-grok definition:
to show in an improper or selfish way that you are happy with your own success or another person’s failure
Now that includes verbal action such as boasting, which is clearly what Smaug does.
  • 12.072 he gloated.

Great elephants, but I love this project!

“gloat.” Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 26 July 2015.

“gloat, v.” OED Online. Oxford University Press, June 2015. Web. 26 July 2015.