Modifies a noun

• eye: And there was a gentle old dog roaming about with doleful eyes.

• knell: Toll on, thou passing bell; Ring out my doleful knell; Let thy sound my death tell.

• tune: The caption beneath it read: ' BIG DAVE IS WATCHING YOU ' as the doleful tune of the great BELL rang out.

• sound: He went on, not without misgivings, and as he drew near he heard the doleful sound of painful moans.

• hymn: I am the cygnet to this pale, faint swan, Who chants a doleful hymn to his own death.

• expression: There is Jesus - silent, with a doleful expression on his concrete face, hovering incongruously over the modern world.

Modifying Another Word

• rather: If they mistakenly selected a pair of numbers which did not total 10, it was met with a rather doleful ' moo ' !

• suitably: In wealthy households ceremonial mourners would be hired to look suitably doleful.

Used with adjective complement

• look: In wealthy households ceremonial mourners would be hired to look suitably doleful.