brown
a dark tertiary color with a yellowish or reddish hue.
Offensive. a person whose skin has a light- or dark-brown pigmentation.
of the color brown.
(of animals) having skin, fur, hair, or feathers of that color.
sunburned or tanned.
Often Offensive. (of human beings) having the skin naturally pigmented a brown color.
to make or become brown.
to fry, sauté, or scorch slightly in cooking: to brown onions before adding them to the stew. The potatoes browned in the pan.
brown out, to subject to a brownout: The power failure browned out the southern half of the state.
Idioms about brown
browned off, Slang. angry; fed up.
do it up brown, Informal. to do thoroughly: When they entertain, they really do it up brown.
Origin of brown
1usage note For brown
Other words from brown
- brownish, browny, adjective
- brownness, noun
- o·ver·brown, verb
- un·browned, adjective
- well-browned, adjective
Other definitions for Brown (2 of 2)
Charles Brock·den [chahrlz-brok-duhn], /ˈtʃɑrlz ˈbrɒk dən/, 1771–1810, U.S. writer and intellectual, known as “the Father of the American novel.”
Clifford "Brownie", 1930–56, U.S. jazz trumpeter and composer.
Herbert Charles, 1912–2004, U.S. chemist, born in England: Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1979.
Jerry Edmund Gerald Brown, Jr., born 1938, U.S. politician: governor of California 1975–83 and 2011–19.
Jim James Nathaniel Brown, 1936–2023, U.S. football player and actor: Pro Football Hall of Fame 1971.
John "Osawatomie Brown", 1800–59, U.S. abolitionist: leader of the attack at Harpers Ferry, where he was captured, tried for treason, and hanged.
Margaret Wise, 1910–52, U.S. author noted for early-childhood books, including Goodnight Moon.
Olympia, 1835–1926, U.S. women's-rights activist and Universalist minister: first American woman ordained by a major church.
Robert, 1773–1858, Scottish botanist noted for his pioneering work in paleobotany and palynology.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use brown in a sentence
At a certain point, sweet brownish mush is sweet brownish much.
Frozen-Yogurt Shops Are Everywhere, but We Are Nowhere Near Saturation | Daniel Gross | July 19, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTFrom time to time she unmasks herself, gamey and whipped flaunting that brownish color.
The chemical affixes itself to dead skin cells and produces a brownish tone.
Their bodies looked like those of large grasshoppers, except that they were of a brownish colour.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin | Mary Hazelton WadeOn their entrance into the church, a brownish-red silk cloak, which concealed the whole of the uniform, was presented to each.
A Woman's Journey Round the World | Ida Pfeiffer
The antennae are ciliated, whitish above, and brownish beneath.
The rind is peeled from the branches by means of knives, and then dried in the sun; this gives it a yellowish or brownish tint.
A Woman's Journey Round the World | Ida PfeifferAnother man was sprawled on the gray broadloom of the reception room, a brownish puddle beneath his side.
British Dictionary definitions for brown (1 of 2)
/ (braʊn) /
any of various colours, such as those of wood or earth, produced by low intensity light in the wavelength range 620–585 nanometres
a dye or pigment producing these colours
brown cloth or clothing: dressed in brown
any of numerous mostly reddish-brown butterflies of the genera Maniola, Lasiommata, etc, such as M. jurtina (meadow brown): family Satyridae
of the colour brown
(of bread) made from a flour that has not been bleached or bolted, such as wheatmeal or wholemeal flour
deeply tanned or sunburnt
to make (esp food as a result of cooking) brown or (esp of food) to become brown
Origin of brown
1Derived forms of brown
- brownish or browny, adjective
- brownness, noun
British Dictionary definitions for Brown (2 of 2)
/ (braʊn) /
Sir Arthur Whitten (ˈwɪt ə n). 1886–1948, British aviator who with J.W. Alcock made the first flight across the Atlantic (1919)
Ford Madox . 1821–93, British painter, associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. His paintings include The Last of England (1865) and Work (1865)
George (Alfred), Lord George-Brown. 1914–85, British Labour politician; vice-chairman and deputy leader of the Labour party (1960–70); foreign secretary 1966–68
George Mackay . 1921–96, Scottish poet, novelist, and short-story writer. His works, which include the novels Greenvoe (1972) and Magnus (1973), reflect the history and culture of Orkney
(James) Gordon . born 1951, British Labour politician; Chancellor of the Exchequer (1997–2007); prime minister (2007–10)
Herbert Charles . 1912–2004, US chemist, who worked on the compounds of boron. Nobel prize for chemistry 1979
James . 1933–2006, US soul singer and songwriter, noted for his dynamic stage performances and for his commitment to Black rights
John . 1800–59, US abolitionist leader, hanged after leading an unsuccessful rebellion of slaves at Harper's Ferry, Virginia
Lancelot, called Capability Brown . 1716–83, British landscape gardener
Michael (Stuart). born 1941, US physician: shared the Nobel prize for physiology or medicine (1985) for work on cholesterol
Robert . 1773–1858, Scottish botanist who was the first to observe the Brownian movement in fluids
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with brown
In addition to the idioms beginning with brown
- brown bagger
- browned off
- brownie points
- brown nose
- brown study, in a
also see:
- do up (brown)
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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