Frounce
Pronunciation
- IPA: /fɹaʊns/
Origin
From Middle English frouncen, from Old French froncir "to wrinkle, frown", from Frankish *hrunkja "a wrinkle" from Proto-Germanic *hrunkijÅ, *hrunkitÅ ("fold, wrinkle"), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- ("to turn, bend"). Akin to Old High German runza "fold, wrinkle, crease" (German Runzel "wrinkle"), Middle Dutch ronse "frown", Old Norse hrukka "wrinkle, crease" (Icelandic hrukka "wrinkle, crease, ruck"). More at ruck#Etymology_2|ruck
2.
Verb
- (rare) To curl.
- 1879, Harmon Seeley Babcock, "The Peanut Man", in Trifles, Providence Press Company (1879), page 43:Beard untrimmed by barber's shears,Hair all frouncing 'bout his ears,
- 1887, Julian Corbett, For God and Gold, Macmillan and Co (1887), page 214:As though to give him a warlike note, his clothes were thrown on in a slovenly way, and his moustache frounced out so shock and bristling that it seemed from each hair-end a crackling oath must start with every word he said.
- 1888, Charles M. Doughty, Travels in Arabia Deserta, Volume 1, Cambridge (1888), page 498:Under the day-long beating of the sun their brow is frounced out,
- 1983, Carolly Erickson, The First Elizabeth, St. Martin's Griffin (1997), ISBN 9780312168421, page 307:The unruly, shoulder-length hair of the redeemed made a strong contrast to the well-tended coiffures of fashionable men, who "frounced their hair with curling irons" and wore long "love locks" tied with ribbons or silk favors.
- 2012, Carolyn Meyer, The Wild Queen: The Days and Nights of Mary, Queen of Scots, Harcourt (2012), ISBN 9780152061883, page 107:My hairdresser stopped coming. Fortunately, my friend Seton had always enjoyed frouncing my hair, and she readily took up the responsibility, fixing my hair in a different style every day.
- (rare) To crease, wrinkle, to frown.
- 1871, George Mac-Henry, Time and Eternity: A Poem, A L Bancroft and Company (1871), page 42:He frounced his brow, and from his scornful eyeShot wrath indignant, and disdain and pride,
- 1885, "The Old Corner Shop: A Story of Very Poor Humanity", The Phrenological Magazine, December 1885:Mury, however, frounced her brows, and made Sir Tyke Winchap's niece a profound courtesy behind her back.
- 2000, Patrick Madden, "Down on Batlle's Farm", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Volume 33, Number 2, Summer 2000, page 160:"But they know who you are?" I asked, and frounced my brow in skeptical doubt.
- To gather into or adorn with plaits, as a dress.