frown

C2 Topic:Animals
US /ˈfɹæʊ̯n/ UK /ˈfɹaʊ̯n/
noun verb Freq #14518

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    A wrinkling of the forehead with the eyebrows brought together, typically indicating displeasure, severity, or concentration.

    Philip had once told him of a man who had a horse-shoe frown, and Tom had tried with all his frowning-might to make a horse-shoe on his forehead.

  2. 2
    noun

    A downturn of the corners of the mouth, typically expressing sadness.

    The smile and the frown are both indicated and the operation of a motor driven flasher causes the face to look happy and sad in turn.

  3. 3
    verb

    To have a frown on one's face.

    She frowned when I told her the news.

  4. 4
    verb

    To manifest displeasure or disapprobation; to look with disfavour or threateningly.

    Noisy gossip in the library is frowned upon.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
Word family
Forms frownedfrownerfrownersfrowninglyfrowns
Derived forms afrownfrownerfrownfulfrownlessfrownsomefrownyoutfrownpermafrown

Etymology

From Middle English frounen (“to frown as an expression of disapproval, displeasure, shame, fear, or jealousy”), from Old French frognier (“to frown or scowl”), from Gaulish *frognā (“nostril”), from Proto-Celtic *srognā.

Topics

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