brown Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an orange of low brightness and saturation
    brownness.
  2. noun Scottish botanist who first observed the movement of small particles in fluids now known a Brownian motion (1773-1858)
    Robert Brown.
  3. noun abolitionist who was hanged after leading an unsuccessful raid at Harper's Ferry, Virginia (1800-1859)
    John Brown.
  4. noun a university in Rhode Island
    Brown University.
  5. verb fry in a pan until it changes color
    • brown the meat in the pan
  6. verb make brown in color
    embrown.
    • the draught browned the leaves on the trees in the yard
  7. adjective satellite of a color similar to that of wood or earth
    chocolate-brown; brownish; dark-brown.
  8. adjective satellite (of skin) deeply suntanned
    browned.

WordNet


Brown adjective
Etymology
OE. brun, broun, AS. brn; akin to D. bruin, OHG. brn, Icel. brnn, Sw. brun, Dan. bruun, G. braun, Lith. brunas, Skr. babhru. *93, 253. Cf. Bruin, Beaver, Burnish, Brunette.
Wordforms
comparative Browner ; superlative Brownest
Definitions
  1. Of a dark color, of various shades between black and red or yellow.
    Cheeks brown as the oak leaves. Longfellow.
    W. Irving.
Brown noun
Definitions
  1. A dark color inclining to red or yellow, resulting from the mixture of red and black, or of red, black, and yellow; a tawny, dusky hue.
Brown transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Browned present participle & verbal noun Browning
Definitions
  1. To make brown or dusky.
    A trembling twilight o'er welkin moves,Browns the dim void and darkens deep the groves. Barlow.
  2. To make brown by scorching slightly; as, to brown meat or flour.
  3. To give a bright brown color to, as to gun barrels, by forming a thin coat of oxide on their surface. Ure.
Brown intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To become brown.

Webster 1913