eyebrow
gb/ˈaɪbɹˌaʊ/ us/ˈaɪbɹˌaʊ/
A2
English
~ 700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Strip of hair above the eye
The line of hair above your eye.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s eyebrow(s)
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'eyebrow' with 'eyelash'; eyelashes are the hairs on the edge of the eyelid, not above the eye.
Synonyms
brow (A shorter form, often used in poetic or literary style.)
Antonyms
forehead (The smooth area above the eyebrows without hair.)
Collocations
raise an eyebrow
|plucked eyebrows
|thick eyebrows
|arched eyebrows
|eyebrow pencil
Themes
body
|appearance
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She shaped her eyebrows before the party.
- His thick eyebrows made him look serious.
- The actor raised an eyebrow at the question.
- Her eyebrows were perfectly arched.
- He has a small scar above his left eyebrow.
Learner examples
- I have black eyebrows.
- She has long eyebrows.
- He raised his eyebrow.
- Her eyebrows are brown.
Noun
B1
action
2
Facial expression using eyebrows
A way of moving your eyebrows to show how you feel or what you think.
Usage pattern:
[someone] raises/lowers [an] eyebrow(s)
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'raise an eyebrow' always means surprise; it can also show doubt or disapproval depending on context.
Synonyms
expression (General term for a facial movement showing emotion; less specific than 'eyebrow'.)
Antonyms
blank look (A facial expression showing no emotion or reaction.)
Collocations
raise an eyebrow
|furrow one's eyebrows
|arch an eyebrow
Themes
emotions
|communication
|body
Examples
- She raised an eyebrow in surprise.
- He furrowed his eyebrows when he heard the news.
- The teacher arched an eyebrow at the latecomer.
Learner examples
- She raised her eyebrow when she saw me.
- He moved his eyebrows when he was angry.
- The man frowned and his eyebrows came together.
Grammar
Dictionary form
eyebrow
IPA
GB/ˈaɪbɹˌaʊ/
US/ˈaɪbɹˌaʊ/
Syllables & stress
eye - brow (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (eye)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: eyebrow
- Plural: eyebrows
Word family
Expressions
eyebrow-raising
1/ˈaɪbɹˌaʊ ɹˈeɪzɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Surprising or disapproving action/event
Causing people to feel surprised or not approve of something.
Examples
- It was an eyebrow-raising decision by the board.
- The movie contains some eyebrow-raising scenes.
raise an eyebrow
1/ɹˈeɪz ən ˈaɪbɹˌaʊ/
idiom
Show surprise or disapproval by lifting eyebrow
To move one eyebrow up to show surprise, doubt, or dislike.
Examples
- The manager raised an eyebrow when she saw the report.
- He raised an eyebrow at her unusual outfit.
raise eyebrows
1/ɹˈeɪz ˈaɪbɹˌaʊz/
idiom
Cause surprise or disapproval
To make people feel surprised or not approve of something you do.
Examples
- Her sudden resignation raised eyebrows among her colleagues.
- The politician's comment raised eyebrows across the country.
- Wearing shorts to the formal dinner raised some eyebrows.
- Her sudden resignation raised a few eyebrows in the office.