[Middle English bitel-brouwed , having grim brows, sullen, perhaps from bitil, betil, bug, beetle (from the resemblance of a pair of thick eyebrows to the tufted antennae of a cockchafer); see BEETLE¹, or from bitel, sharp (probably from Old English *bitol, biting, from Old English bite, bite); see BIT² + brouwed (from brow, brow; see BROW).]