brow
gb/bɹˈaʊ/ us/bɹˈaʊ/
A2
English
~ 1400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
ridge of hair above the eye
The line of hair above your eye.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s brow
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'brow' with 'forehead'; 'brow' usually refers to the eyebrow, while 'forehead' is the skin above it.
Synonyms
eyebrow (Exact synonym; more common in modern usage)
Antonyms
bare forehead (Lack of hair above the eye)
Collocations
furrowed brow
|arched brow
|raise a brow
|smooth brow
Themes
body
|appearance
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She raised her brow in surprise.
- His furrowed brow showed he was worried.
- The makeup artist shaped her brow carefully.
- A drop of sweat rolled down his brow.
- He arched a brow at the strange comment.
Learner examples
- I have thick brows.
- She raised her brow when she saw me.
- His brow was wet with sweat.
- She has very thin brows.
Noun
B1
entity
2
upper part of face above eyes
The part of your face above your eyes and below your hair.
Usage pattern:
on [someone]'s brow
Common mistake:
Learners may use 'brow' when they mean 'eyebrow' or 'forehead' without realizing it can mean both in different contexts.
Synonyms
forehead (Forehead is more general; brow may sound slightly more literary)
Antonyms
chin (Opposite end of the face vertically)
Collocations
sweat on brow
|wipe brow
|beads of sweat on brow
Themes
body
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He wiped his brow after running.
- Her brow was damp from the heat.
- A frown crossed his brow.
- Tears rolled down her brow.
- He leaned forward, resting his brow on his hand.
Learner examples
- He wiped his brow with a cloth.
- Sweat ran down my brow.
- Her brow was hot with fever.
Noun
B2
entity
3
top edge of hill or cliff
The top edge or highest point of a hill or cliff.
Usage pattern:
the brow of [a hill/cliff]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'brow' here means part of the face; context shows it refers to landforms.
Synonyms
summit (Usually refers to the highest point of a mountain; 'brow' often used for smaller rises)
Antonyms
base (The bottom part of a hill or cliff)
Collocations
brow of the hill
|brow of the cliff
Themes
geography
|nature
|space
|travel
Examples
- They stopped at the brow of the hill to rest.
- A figure appeared on the brow of the cliff.
- From the brow of the hill, we could see the whole valley.
- The house sat on the brow of a small rise.
Learner examples
- We reached the brow of the hill.
- There is a tree on the brow of the cliff.
- I can see the town from the brow of this hill.
Grammar
Dictionary form
brow
IPA
GB/bɹˈaʊ/
US/bɹˈaʊ/
Syllables & stress
brow (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (brow)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: brow
- Plural: brows
Word family
Forms
brows
noun
Core family
eyebrow
noun A2
Related words
unibrow
noun
Advanced or less common
highbrow
adjective
lowbrow
adjective
browbeat
verb
Expressions
furrow one's brow
1/fˈɚoʊ wˈʌnz bɹˈaʊ/
fixed phrase
wrinkle forehead in concern or thought
To bring your eyebrows together and make lines on your forehead when you are thinking hard or worried.
Examples
- He furrowed his brow as he read the letter.
- She furrowed her brow in concentration.
keep a straight brow
1/kˈip ə stɹˈeɪt bɹˈaʊ/
idiom
informal
show no emotion in expression
To not show any feeling on your face, especially surprise or amusement.
Examples
- She kept a straight brow during the whole meeting, even when jokes were made.
- He tried to keep a straight brow but ended up laughing.
raise a brow
1/ɹˈeɪz ə bɹˈaʊ/
fixed phrase
lift eyebrow to show reaction
To move your eyebrow up to show surprise, doubt, or interest.
Examples
- He raised a brow at her strange question.
- She raised a brow in disbelief.
sweat of one's brow
1/swˈɛt əv wˈʌnz bɹˈaʊ/
idiom
hard work and effort
Hard work that makes you sweat.
Examples
- He built his business by the sweat of his brow.
- They earned their living by the sweat of their brows.