小词详解 | frown

frown 英 [fraʊn] 美 [fraʊn]

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外刊例句

• When a shopper walked to the end of an aisle only to return with a frown to a bookshelf, the software discreetly messaged clerks, who went to help.
  当顾客走到过道尽头，却又皱着眉头回到书架旁，软件就会悄悄向店员发出消息，店员就会上前帮忙。
  ——《经济学人》
• They show no emotions: They do not cry or smile or frown, but simply gaze blankly, their bodies unwilling to waste a calorie on emotion when every iota of energy must go to keep major organs functioning.
  从他们脸上看不到任何情绪：不哭，不笑，也没有皱眉，只有面无表情地凝视，他们的身体不愿意在情绪上浪费哪怕一个卡路里，每一份能量都必须用来维持体内主要器官的运转。
  ——《纽约时报》

基本释义

[verb] furrow one's brows in an expression indicating disapproval, displeasure, or concentration
[动词] 皱眉表示不赞成、不高兴或全神贯注

深入解读

Frown 一词于14世纪末期由古法语 frognier （皱眉、怒视、哼鼻子、嗤之以鼻）进入英语，即用来表示“皱眉、蹙（cù）额”，主要指通过紧皱眉头来作出严肃、愤怒、失望、担忧、不高兴、蔑视或全神贯注的表情，既可以用作动词，也可以用作名词，比如：

• 他令她动心，让她着迷。看到他皱起眉头，她赶紧解释。
  He drew and enthralled her. She saw his frown and hastened to explain.
• 服务员皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。然后她改变了站姿，把重心从一只脚移到另一只脚。
  The attendant frowned, suddenly wary. Then she shifted her stance from one foot to another.

从这个概念出发，还常用动词短语 frown on/upon sb/sth 表示“不赞成、不同意、不许可”，比如：

• 许多教师不赞同这种大胆的做法。
  Many teachers frown on such audacious practices.

名著用例

On her flower frowning miss Douce said:
杜丝小姐朝自己的花皱了皱眉，说：
—Most aggravating that young brat is. If he doesn't conduct himself I'll wring his ear for him a yard long.
“那个小子太放肆啦。他要是不放规矩些，我就把他的耳朵扯到一码长。”

出自爱尔兰现代主义作家詹姆斯·乔伊斯（James Joyce）于1922年出版的长篇小说《尤利西斯》（Ulysses）。

同近义词

• scowl: frown in an angry or bad-tempered way
• glower: have an angry or sullen look on one's face; scowl
• glare: stare in an angry or fierce way

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