noir

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Related to noir: Neo noir

noir

(nwär)

adj.

1. Of or relating to the film noir genre.

2. Of or relating to a genre of crime literature featuring tough, cynical characters and bleak settings.

3. Suggestive of danger or violence.

[Short for film noir. Sense 2, short for French roman noir, black novel.]

noir′ish adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

noir

(nwɑː)

adj

(Film) (of a film) showing characteristics of a film noir, in plot or style

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

noir

(nwɑr)
adj.

having the characteristics of film noir; tough and bleakly pessimistic.

noir′ish, adj.

[1980–85; < Fr noir black]

References in classic literature ?

In short, he had hitherto acted the part rather of a spectator than of a party in the tournament, a circumstance which procured him among the spectators the name of Le Noir Faineant, or the Black Sluggard.

Le Noir Faineant then turned his horse upon Athelstane of Coningsburgh; and his own sword having been broken in his encounter with Front-de-B uf, he wrenched from the hand of the bulky Saxon the battle-axe which he wielded, and, like one familiar with the use of the weapon, bestowed him such a blow upon the crest, that Athelstane also lay senseless on the field.

It being now the duty of Prince John to name the knight who had done best, he determined that the honour of the day remained with the knight whom the popular voice had termed Le Noir Faineant.

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my dear lady; the 'Domino Noir'"--and bustled back again to the piano.

The 'Domino Noir.' And how strange that you should forget it too!"

And, as I said just now, quite a new version of the 'Domino Noir.' You will wonder, as I did, how it was that Dexter didn't make mischief in the morning?

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Upon this I set myself to explain the meaning of all the combinations--of "rouge et noir," of "pair et impair," of "manque et passe," with, lastly, the different values in the system of numbers.

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Kirsch was at work for his part at the rouge et noir and did not see his young master.

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One day last week--on Thursday night, to be more exact--I found that I could not sleep, having foolishly taken a cup of strong café noir after my dinner.

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I recognized the detested voice of my bete noir, Alick Carruthers, thick as might be expected of the dissipated dog, yet daring to stutter out her name.

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"Paien noir!" I heard him scream, and at the same time I saw him kick the kanaka.

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Each year the festival includes a section called Locals in the Limelight, which features up-and-coming writers from the area reading extracts of their noir fiction alongside top crime authors, aberdeen Performing arts (aPa) is urging people to come forward to be featured for the festival's fourth year.