frown
/ˈfɹaʊ̯n/ noun, verb
Forms frowns frowning frowned
- noun A wrinkling of the forehead with the eyebrows brought together, typically indicating displeasure, severity, or concentration.
- noun (Canada, US) A downturn of the corners of the mouth, typically expressing sadness.
- noun Any facial expression that indicates disapproval or displeasure.
- verb (intransitive) To have a frown on one's face. “She frowned when I told her the news.”
- verb (intransitive, figurative) To manifest displeasure or disapprobation; to look with disfavour or threateningly. “Noisy gossip in the library is frowned upon.”
- verb (transitive) To repress or repel by expressing displeasure or disapproval; to rebuke with a look. “Let us frown the impudent fellow into silence.”
- verb (transitive) To communicate by frowning. “Frank frowned his displeasure with my proposal.”
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English frown, froun (“a threatening appearance; lowering of the clouds”), from frounen (“to frown”). See below.
From Middle English frounen (“to frown as an expression of disapproval, displeasure, shame, fear, or jealousy”), from Old French froignier, froingnier, frognier (“to wrinkle the mouth or forehead, frown, scowl”), of uncertain and disputed origin. Perhaps from Medieval Latin fruncāre (“to wrinkle, crease, turn up one's nose, make a face, frown”) (compare Old High German fruncetura (“wrinkle”), via Latin), from Frankish *hrunkwittjā (“wrinkle”)/*hrunkwōn (“to wrinkle”), whence Old High German runza (“wrinkle”). See also French froncer (“to frown, scowl”).
Alternatively, perhaps from Gaulish *frognā (“nostril”), from Proto-Celtic *srognā (“nose”).
Still yet, perhaps of North Germanic origin, related to Swedish fryna (“to frown, frown with one's nose, make a wry face”), Norwegian frøyna (“to wrinkle up one's nose, make a wry face; snort”). Compare also dialectal English frine (“to frown, whine, complain”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To contract the brow in displeasure, severity, or sternness; to scowl; to put on a stern, grim, or surly look.
- verb To manifest displeasure or disapprobation; to look with disfavor or threateningly; to lower; as, polite society frowns upon rudeness.
- verb To repress or repel by expressing displeasure or disapproval; to rebuke with a look; as, frown the impudent fellow into silence.
- noun A wrinkling of the face in displeasure, rebuke, etc.; a sour, severe, or stere look; a scowl.
Etymology [OF. froignier, F. frogner, in se refrogner, se renfrogner, to knit the brow, to frown; perh. of Teutonic origin; cf. It. in frigno wrinkled, frowning, Prov. It. frignare to cringe the face, to make a wry face, dial. Sw. fryna to make a wry face,]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “frown”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details