Forms: 3–4 fronce, 4–6 frounse, 6–7 frounze, frownce, -se, 4– frounce. [ad. OF. froncier, froncir (Fr. froncer), f. fronce FROUNCE sb.1]

1

  † 1.  trans. To gather in folds or wrinkles, to wrinkle; to knit, purse (the brows or lips); occas. to knit the brows of. Also with up. Obs.

2

  The first quot. perhaps belongs to 1 b.

3

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 3571. Þe front it fronces þat was scene.

4

c. 1340.  Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight, 2306. Þenne tas he hym stryþe to stryke, & frounses boþe lyppe & browe.

5

1390.  Gower, Conf., I. 95. With that she frounceth up the browe.

6

c. 1572.  Gascoigne, Fruites Warre (1831), 209. The frolicke fauour frounst and foule defast.

7

1587.  Hughes, Misfort. Arthur, IV. ii. in Hazl., Dodsley, IV. 321. All fury-like, frounc’d up with frantic frets.

8

1628.  Le Grys, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, 143. That hee may not seeme mercenary, hee will frounce his browes.

9

  † b.  intr. To knit the brows; to look angry. Also of the face or forehead: To fall into wrinkles, become wrinkled. Obs.

10

c. 1450.  Henryson, Test. Cress., 155, in Thynne’s Chaucer, Qq iiij. His face frounsed … His teth chattred.

11

c. 1530.  Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 489. [He] frounsed and glared wt his eyen as though he had ben wode.

12

1583.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 63. Grislye faces flouncing, dyd I see.

13

1600.  Holland, Livy, VII. vi. 253. They frounced and tooke on most insolently for this unhappie expedition.

14

  2.  trans. To frizz, curl (the hair, a wig, etc.); also, to curl the hair of.

15

1526.  Skelton, Magnyf., 1532. Schall frounce them in the foretop.

16

1559.  Aylmer, Harborowe, N j b. Ladies … with their heares frownsed and curled.

17

a. 1592.  Greene, Mamillia, II. Wks. (Rtldg.), 316/1.

        Hairs by birth as black as jet, what! art can amend them,—
A periwig frounc’d fast to the front, or curl’d with a bodkin.

18

1632.  Milton, Penseroso, 123. Not trick’d and frounc’d as she was wont.

19

1819.  H. Busk, Vestriad, II. 100.

        Some angled gold-fish in the crystal pool,
Or scatter’d o’er the silver margin stood,
To frounce their braids, reflected in the flood.

20

  b.  fig. [Echoing Milton: see quot. 1632 in 2.]

21

1891.  Saintsbury, Scherer’s Ess., Pref. 9. Not only unnecessary, but in bad taste, to trick or frounce him in English.

22

  † 3.  To gather (a piece of cloth, a garment, etc.) into creases or pleats; to pleat. Obs.

23

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), Cc vj. Their shurts frounced.

24

1559.  Mirr. Mag., Mowbray’s Banishm., xxv. All iagde and frounst with diuers coloures dekt.

25

1610.  Guillim, Heraldry, VI. v. (1611), 266. A piece of cloth … that is iagged and frownced after the manner of our now commonly recieued Mantlings.

26

1805.  Scott, Last Minstr., IV. xviii. Buff coats, all frounced and broidered o’er.

27

  † b.  intr. To fall into creases or pleats. Obs.

28

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 7259. Shoos knopped with dagges That frouncen lyke a quaile pipe.

29

1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII. (1809), 691. It bossed out and frounced very stately to behold.

30

  Hence Frounced ppl. a., † (a) of the forehead: Wrinkled; (b) of the hair, the head, etc.: Curled, frizzed; Frouncing vbl. sb., † (a) knitting of brows; (b) frizzing; also attrib.

31

1422.  trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. (E.E.T.S.), 221. A sharpe straght farred, noght gretly lene ne al full, nethyr al frouncet.

32

c. 1450.  Henryson, Fables, Paddok & Mons, 43. Her fronsit face.

33

a. 1529.  Skelton, P. Sparowe, 1337. The ferryman of hell, Caron … with his frownsid foretop.

34

1530.  Palsgr., 223/2. Frounsyng, froncement.

35

a. 1568.  Ascham, Scholem. (Arb.), 54. An ouerstaring frounced hed, as though out of euerie heeres toppe, should suddenlie start out a good big othe.

36

1593.  Nashe, Christ’s T. (1613), 148. Thy flaring frounzed Periwigs.

37

1600.  Holland, Livy, XXXIII. xxxix. (1609), 846. There was frounsing, and their bloud was up.

38

1603.  H. Crosse, Vertue’s Commonwealth (1878), 76. Fye vpon these frownsing Irons, poking stickes, perriwigs, embroided fore-tops, &c. which are all an euident token of that filthy kennell of mudde wherwith they are possest.

39

1656.  W. D., trans. Comenius’ Gate Lot. Unl., § 203. The Temples … in those that are angry frownced or furrowed.

40

1835.  in Gentl. Mag., Feb. (1836), 155.

        But as for the daughter, she cut such a figure,
And her hair was all frizzled and frounc’d like a nigger,
While such was the colour and make of her vesture,
It look’d just as if Cranbourn Alley had drest her.

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