underbrow

English

Etymology

From under +‎ brow.

Pronunciation

• (noun) IPA^(key): /ˈʌndə(ɹ)ˌbɹaʊ/
• (adjective, adverb) IPA^(key): /ˌʌndə(ɹ)ˈbɹaʊ/, /ˈʌndə(ɹ)ˌbɹaʊ/

Noun

underbrow (plural underbrows)

1. The portion of the face below the eyebrow and above the eyelid.
   • 1971, Bernard D. N. Grebanier, The Angel in the Rock, page 62:

     The Friar's eyes now seemed to burn no more with light, but looked out stern beneath his underbrow's concave; his voice was grave; he stood erect as if to soar above his natural height:

   • 2000, Native Peoples A to Z - Volume 1, page 209:

     A distinctive feature is the sharply defined underbrow which extends downward over an upper cheek bulge at the outer corner of the orb.

   • 2011, Carole Jackson, Color Me Beautiful, page 130:

     Some women need a highlighter shadow on the underbrow, a second shadow on the orbital bone, and a third on the lid.

2. The lower portion of the eyebrow.
   • 1954, Motion Picture - Volumes 87-90:

     Her big eyes are framed with brows that are almost bushy— the top part of the brow is left alone, only the underbrow is tweezed to give the brow an "angle."

   • 1975, Country Life - Volume 157, page 1018:

     Brush them, they are more important than you realise, and keep the underbrow well plucked and tidy.

   • 1976, Diane Von Furstenberg, Evelyn Portrait, Diane Von Furstenberg's Book of Beauty, page 157:

     Use wax as an underbrow cleanup and always tweeze for the shaping or arching you need.

Adjective

underbrow (not comparable)

1. (of the act of looking) With the brow lowered.
   • 1976, Alfred Leslie Rowse, A Cornishman Abroad, page 93:

     Black eyebrows and eyes so dark and scrutinizing (but he was being scrutinized too) as to give the face a sinister expression, especially through a sly underbrow manner of switching the eyes from one object to another.

   • 1995, Emma Richmond, A Family Closeness, page 58:

     'Snitch,' he muttered as he gave his daughter a comical underbrow glance.

   • 2014, Diana Hamilton, A Spanish Vengeance:

     Ben had shot her the underbrow look that told her she was in for a lecture.

   • 2014, Dell Shannon, Unexpected Death:

     They all looked dirty and unkempt, the girls with long greasy hair, theboys ditto, two with sideburns. The sloppy, dirty clothes, the bare feet, the sullen underbrow stares.

Adverb

underbrow (not comparable)

1. From beneath a lowered brow.
   • 1970, Richard Llewellyn, White Horse to Banbury Cross, page 207:

     He looked underbrow at me.

   • 1989, Richard Llewellyn, But We Didn't Get the Fox, page 271:

     He clasped his hands, looking at me, not exactly underbrow, but still accusingly.