dort: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low / ObsoleteArchaic / Regional Dialect
Quick answer
What does “dort” mean?
A now-obsolete or dialectal term for a sulky or pettish mood or fit.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A now-obsolete or dialectal term for a sulky or pettish mood or fit; to sulk or be peevish.
Primarily used historically or in specific dialects to describe sulking, pettiness, or taking offence over trivial matters.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally obsolete in both standard varieties. It may have persisted slightly longer in some Northern English or Scots dialects.
Connotations
Archaic, literary, or deliberately quaint. Using it today would likely cause confusion or be seen as an affectation.
Frequency
Effectively zero frequency in contemporary corpora for both BrE and AmE.
Grammar
How to Use “dort” in a Sentence
to be in a dortto take the dortVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “dort” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She would often dort when she did not get her way.
American English
- The child dorted in the corner after being scolded.
adverb
British English
- He sat dortily by the fire, refusing to speak.
American English
- She answered dortily, her arms crossed.
adjective
British English
- He was in a dorty humour all morning.
American English
- She gave a dorty reply and turned away.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Only in historical linguistics or literary studies of Early Modern English.
Everyday
Not used in modern everyday conversation.
Technical
No technical usage.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “dort”
- Using it in modern contexts, assuming it is a common synonym for 'sulk'.
- Misspelling as 'dourt'.
- Pronouncing with a hard 't' at the end as in modern English; it was likely softer, closer to /dɔːrt/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it is an archaic word, no longer used in modern standard English. It appears in texts from the 16th to 18th centuries.
The most common mistake is assuming it is a current, usable synonym for 'sulk'. Its use today would be confusing or deliberately archaic.
No, they are false friends. The English 'dort' (sulk) is of obscure origin, while the German 'dort' means 'there'. They are unrelated.
To prevent confusion if encountered in older literature and to illustrate how language changes. It also serves as a clear example of an archaism.
A now-obsolete or dialectal term for a sulky or pettish mood or fit.
Dort is usually archaic / regional dialect in register.
Dort: in British English it is pronounced /dɔːt/, and in American English it is pronounced /dɔːrt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in a dort (archaic: in a sulk)”
- “take the dort (archaic: become sulky)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'DORT' as 'Door' + 'Tantrum' – sulking so hard you shut the door.
Conceptual Metaphor
SULKING IS RETREATING INTO A PRIVATE SPACE (the 'dort' is like a mental sulking room).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'dort' be most appropriately used today?