brow

[brou]

noun

1. Anatomy.,  the ridge over the eye.

2. the hair growing on that ridge; eyebrow.

3. the forehead.

   He wore his hat low over his brow.

4. a person's countenance or mien.

5. the edge of a steep place.

   She looked down over the brow of the hill.

6. gangplank.

brow

/ braʊ /

noun

1. the part of the face from the eyes to the hairline; forehead

2. short for eyebrow

3. the expression of the face; countenance

   a troubled brow

4. the top of a mine shaft; pithead

5. the jutting top of a hill, etc

6. dialect,  a steep slope on a road

Word History and Origins

Origin of brow¹

before 1000; Middle English browe, Old English brū; akin to Old Norse brūn, Sanskrit bhrūs

Word History and Origins

Origin of brow¹

Old English brū ; related to Old Norse brūn eyebrow, Lithuanian bruvis , Greek ophrus , Sanskrit bhrūs

Idioms and Phrases

see by the sweat of one's brow; cause raised eyebrows.

Example Sentences

“All this waiting, and for what?” he said, wiping the sweat from his brow.

From Los Angeles Times

Frowning brows, narrowing eyes and pursed lips often follow missed shots.

From BBC

“Trying to work out why it should be released was actually quite an obstacle,” he says with a furrowed brow, but still bearing a smile.

From Los Angeles Times

It was clear from the furrowed brows of senior Labour figures by the middle of Tuesday that there was much more anxiety at the top of government than the public numbers would have suggested.

From BBC

Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo took a break on a warm day, wiped his brow and pointed out the Folgers coffee can in the corner of his office.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• eyebrow