frown

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfɹaʊ̯n/

  • Audio (US):

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• (Southern US, Midland US, Mid-Atlantic US, New York City, General Australian, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈfɹæʊ̯n/
• (Pittsburgh, General South African, /aʊ̯/-monophthongization) IPA^(key): /ˈfɹaːn/
• Rhymes: -aʊn
• Hyphenation: frown

From Middle English frown, froun (“a threatening appearance; lowering of the clouds”), from frounen (“to frown”). See below.

frown (plural frowns)

2. A wrinkling of the forehead with the eyebrows brought together, typically indicating displeasure, severity, or concentration.
   • 1860, George Eliot, “V: Maggie's Second Visit”, in The Mill on the Floss‎^[1], Volume I Book II, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood, page 336‑337:

     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

   • 1873, Charles Darwin, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals‎^[2], page 223:

     He encounters some obstacle in his train of reasoning ... and then a frown passes like a shadow over his brow.

4. (Canada, US) A downturn of the corners of the mouth, typically expressing sadness.
   • 1911 December, “Facial Expression Electric Sign”, in Popular Electricity‎^[3], volume iv, number 8, Chicago, page 714:

     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.

   • 1931, “Turn That Frown Upside Down, Smile at the Cock-eyed World”, Joe Young (lyrics), Sam Stept (music):
5. Any facial expression that indicates disapproval or displeasure.

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”).

frown (third-person singular simple present frowns, present participle frowning, simple past and past participle frowned)

1. (intransitive) To have a frown on one's face.

   She frowned when I told her the news.

2. (intransitive, figurative) To manifest displeasure or disapprobation; to look with disfavour or threateningly.

   Noisy gossip in the library is frowned upon.

   • c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:

     The sky doth frown and lower upon our army.

3. (transitive) To repress or repel by expressing displeasure or disapproval; to rebuke with a look.

   Let us frown the impudent fellow into silence.

4. (transitive) To communicate by frowning.

   Frank frowned his displeasure with my proposal.

   • 1923, Ernest Bramah, The Eyes of Max Carrados:

     Copling glanced at the heading and signature, then read the contents and frowned annoyance.

   • 2017 June 26, Alexis Petridis, “Glastonbury 2017 verdict: Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Lorde, Stormzy and more”, in the Guardian‎^[4]:

     As the band paused between songs, a gust of wind blew a distinctive Worthy Farm odour in the direction of drummer/vocalist Julien Ehrich: “Wow,” he frowned, “this place smells of cow shit.”

• scowl

frown

1. soft mutation of brown