Meaning & use
furrows brows
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Meaning
phrasetransitive
moves the eyebrows together and down, making lines on the forehead, usually because of worry, anger, or deep thought
Grammar: Usually needs a possessive word before 'brows': furrows his brows, furrows their brows.
Patterns
- someone furrows their brows
- furrows brows at someone
She furrows her brows when she reads a difficult question.
He furrows his brows at the noise from the street.
The teacher furrows her brows and waits for an answer.
Word forms
| base form | furrow brows |
|---|---|
| past tense | furrowed brows |
| past participle | furrowed brows |
| -ing form | furrowing brows |
Common combinations
- furrows brows in confusion
- She furrows her brows in confusion at the strange email.
- furrows brows at someone
- He furrows his brows at me when I arrive late.
- furrows brows thoughtfully
- She furrows her brows thoughtfully before she speaks.
- furrows brows slightly
- He furrows his brows slightly, not sure he agrees.
Synonyms and how they differ
- scowls
- Means an angry or unhappy expression with the whole face, not only the eyebrows.
- frowns
- Similar, but often just the mouth turns down; 'furrows brows' focuses on the forehead lines.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: furrows brows or furrows brow?
furrows brows vs furrows brow
'Brow' is singular and needs 'a' or a possessive: 'furrows his brow.' The plural 'brows' is more common in this phrase.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'furrows brows' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase needs a possessive word before 'brows': 'his brows.' Option A misses the possessive, C puts it in the wrong place, and D uses 'a' with a plural noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “furrows brows”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.