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Glite Dictionary
deep-set brow

deep-set brow

7.7
Eyebrows that sit back above the eyes and make the face look intense
  • noun
translation icon : ceja hundida
  • The actor's deep-set brow gave his face a brooding expression.

Examples

  • Her deep-set brows gave her a mysterious look.

  • The sculpture was characterized by a strong jawline and a deep-set brow.

  • She inherited her father's deep-set brow and sharp features.

  • He has a prominent deep-set brow that makes him look serious.

  • The actor's deep-set brow gave his face a brooding expression.

  • She inherited her father's deep-set brow and sharp features.

  • His deep-set brow creates an intense gaze that captivates the audience.

Surface Forms

deep-set brow singular
deep-set brows plural

Morphology

deep-set + brow

The sense ‘a brow that is set back or appears sunken’ is directly and compositionally derived from 'deep-set' (sunken/recessed) + 'brow' (forehead/eyebrow area). This is a literal descriptive phrase with no idiomatic shift, and the adjective-noun composition is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will understand it.

Etymology

The noun deep-set brow comes from the image of a brow that is deep or set back under the forehead, so it makes a shadow and the face looks more serious. That's why the phrase is used to mean 'a distinct or intense expression'.