Sullen, a.
Etymology: [OE. solein, solain, lonely, sullen; through Old French fr. (assumed) LL. solanus solitary, fr. L. solus alone. See Sole, a.]
1. Lonely; solitary; desolate. [Obs.] Wyclif (Job iii. 14).
2. Gloomy; dismal; foreboding. Milton. Solemn hymns so sullen dirges change. Shak.
3. Mischievous; malignant; unpropitious. Such sullen planets at my birth did shine. Dryden.
4. Gloomily angry and silent; cross; sour; affected with ill humor; morose. And sullen I forsook the imperfect feast. Prior.
3 more senses
5. Obstinate; intractable. Things are as sullen as we are. Tillotson.
6. Heavy; dull; sluggish. "The larger stream was placid, and even sullen, in its course." Sir W. Scott.
Syn. -- Sulky; sour; cross; ill-natured; morose; peevish; fretful; ill- humored; petulant; gloomy; malign; intractable. -- Sullen, Sulky. Both sullen and sulky show themselves in the demeanor. Sullenness seems to be an habitual sulkiness, and sulkiness a temporary sullenness. The former may be an innate disposition; the latter, a disposition occasioned by recent injury. Thus we are in a sullen mood, and in a sulky fit. No cheerful breeze this sullen region knows; The dreaded east is all the wind that blows. Pope. -- Sul"len*ly, adv. -- Sul"len*ness, n.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Sullen, n.
1. One who is solitary, or lives alone; a hermit. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.
2. pl.
Sullen feelings or manners; sulks; moroseness; as, to have the sullens. [Obs.] Shak.
Sullen, v. t.
To make sullen or sluggish. [Obs.] Sullens the whole body with . . . laziness. Feltham.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for sullen; he lists it under morose.
Where he writes about it:
The sullen and sulky are discontented and resentful in regard to that against which they are too proud to protest, or consider all protest vain; sullen denotes more of pride, sulky more of resentful obstinacy. — from morose
The sullen and sulky are for the most part silent; the morose growl out bitter speeches. — from morose
Sullen and sulky moods may be transitory; one who is morose or surly is commonly so by disposition or habit. — from morose