frown upon
verb (used without object)
1.
to contract the brow, as in displeasure or deep thought; scowl.
2.
to look displeased; have an angry look.
3.
to view with disapproval; look disapprovingly (usually followed by on or upon ): to frown upon a scheme.
verb (used with object)
4.
to express by a frown: to frown one's displeasure.
5.
to force or shame with a disapproving frown: to frown someone into silence.
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Frown upon
is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
noun
6.
a frowning look; scowl.
7.
any expression or show of disapproval: a tax bill that received Congressional frowns.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English frounen < Old French froignier, derivative of froigne surly expression, probably < Gaulish *frognā; compare Welsh ffroen, Old Breton fron nostril, Old Irish srón nose < Celtic *srognā or *sroknā
1350–1400; Middle English frounen < Old French froignier, derivative of froigne surly expression, probably < Gaulish *frognā; compare Welsh ffroen, Old Breton fron nostril, Old Irish srón nose < Celtic *srognā or *sroknā
Related forms
frown·er, noun
frown·ing·ly, adverb
half-frown·ing, adjective
half-frown·ing·ly, adverb
un·frown·ing, adjective
Synonyms
1. glower, lower, gloom.
1. glower, lower, gloom.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To frown upon
Collins
World English Dictionary
frown (fraʊn) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb (often foll by down) | |
| 1. | (intr) to draw the brows together and wrinkle the forehead, esp in worry, anger, or concentration |
| 2. | (intr; |
| 3. | (tr) to express (worry, etc) by frowning |
| 4. | to force, silence, etc, by a frowning look |
| —n | |
| 5. | the act of frowning |
| 6. | a show of dislike or displeasure |
| [C14: from Old French froigner, of Celtic origin; compare Welsh ffroen nostril, Middle Breton froan] | |
| 'frowner | |
| —n | |
| 'frowningly | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
frown
late 14c., from O.Fr. froignier "to frown or scowl, snort," related to frongne "scowling look," probably from Gaulish *frogna "nostril" (cf. Welsh ffroen "nose"), with a sense of "snort," or perhaps "haughty grimace." Related: Frowned; frowning. The noun is from 1580s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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