v. Pa. t. browbeat. Pa. pple. browbeaten (browbeat obs.). [f. BROW sb.1 + BEAT v.; it appears from the earlier quotations (see esp. BROWBEATING vbl. sb.), that the brow in question was that of the beater, not of the beaten party; but it is not evident whether the meaning was ‘to beat with one’s (frowning) brows,’ or ‘to beat (? lower) one’s brows at.’ Connection with beetle-browed is suggested.]
1. trans. To bear down, discourage, or oppose, with stern, arrogant, or insolent looks or words; to snub, to bully; ‘to depress with severe brows, and stern or lofty looks’ (J.).
1581. [see BROWBEATING vbl. sb.]
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 129. We must entertaine our friends and guests, with courtesie … and not to brow-beat them.
1662. Petty, Taxes, 54. To be but brow-beaten by a prince or a grandee.
1706. Phillips, Brow-beat, to look upon haughtily, or disdainfully, to snub, or keep under.
1743. Fielding, Journey, I. xv. He browbeat the informers against us, and treated their evidence with … little favour.
1803. Jane Porter, Thaddeus, xxxvi. (1831), 327. I will not be browbeat and insulted.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 663. The bar and the bench united to browbeat the unfortunate Whig.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, ix. 101. He was brow-beaten and threatened with violence.
b. absol.
1870. L’Estrange, Miss Mitford, I. vi. 210. The well-fee’d lawyers have ceased to browbeat or to cajole.
2. fig. To present a threatening aspect to.
1860. Wood, in S. E. Dawson, Handbk. Canada, 266. One tremendous cliff … more than 1500 feet high, and inclined forward nearly 200 feet, brow-beating all beneath it.
3. humorously. To beat with the brow.
1830. Tennyson, Sonn. to J. M. K. While the worn-out clerk Browbeats his desk below.
