a. [f. L. fūnere-us (f. fūner-, fūnus: see FUNERAL) + -AL.] Of or pertaining to a funeral; appropriate to a funeral. Hence, gloomy, dark, dismal, melancholy, mournful.
1725. Pope, Odyss., IV. 740. You timely will return a welcome guest, With him to share the sad funereal feast.
c. 1750. Shenstone, Elegies, iv.
| Thro’ the dim veil of ev’ning’s dusky shade, | |
| Near some lone fane, or yew’s funereal green, | |
| What dreary forms has magic fear survey’d! | |
| What shrouded spectres superstition seen! |
1791. Cowper, Iliad, II. 725. Cyparissa veiled With broad redundance of funereal shades.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxxv. A chill hung over our minds, as if the feast had been funereal.
1841. Thackeray, 2nd Funer. Napol., i. A car … decked with funereal emblems, had been prepared.
1871. L. Stephen, Playgr. Europe, iv. III. 239. We marched at a funereal pace through the forest.
1875. Renolf, Egypt. Gram., 66. The funereal papyri.
Hence Funereally adv., in a funereal manner.
1860. All Year Round, No. 30. 294. Strangely and funereally suggestive of a mausoleum.
1886. W. J. Tucker, E. Europe, 332. The hearse … was drawn by four black funereally-draped horses.
