furrow
/ˈfʌrəʊ
/noun
1A long, narrow trench made in the ground by a plough, especially for planting seeds or irrigation: regular furrows in a ploughed field [mass noun]: fields of ridge and furrow...
- When machine seeding, plant in a shallow furrow or spread seeds out and disk them into the soil.
- The bacteria may be applied to the seed or placed in the seed furrow at planting.
- By holding the blade at an angle, you can use the garden hoe to make furrows for seed planting.
1.1A rut, groove, or trail in the ground or another surface: lorry wheels had dug furrows in the sand...
- It is also interesting to see that specimens of the latter group invariably show smooth surface and indistinct dorsal furrows.
- He turned and picked up his roll, which had been grazed by a bullet, leaving a short furrow in the surface.
- For example, car tyres are flexible in that they yield to the bumps and furrows in the road surface, but they cannot change their shape or their tread patterns to accommodate different surfaces.
Synonyms
groove, trench, rut, trough, ditch, channel, seam, gutter, gouge, hollow, fissure, gash, track
2A line or wrinkle on a person’s face: there were deep furrows in his brow...
- The wrinkled old man seemed to relax, but the deep furrow in his brow didn't lift until she had her hand on the doorknob.
- ‘I asked her a few too many questions, I think,’ Brett replied as a deep furrow creased his brow.
- Look at family members to see if there are shared traits, such as brow furrows, crow's feet or under-eye bags.
Synonyms
wrinkle, line, crease, crinkle, crow's foot, cleft, indentation, corrugation;
scar
technical sulcus
verb
1 [with object] Make a rut, groove, or trail in (the ground or the surface of something): gorges furrowing the deep-sea floor John’s face was furrowed with tears...
- Above, the sky was furrowed with threatening bands of gray, yet the sparrow rocked itself gently to sleep.
- At the car park we took more notice of the surroundings which are astonishingly furrowed with mysterious earthworks.
- To his dismay, the verges were furrowed with tyre marks and when he reached the field, it was full of dilapidated vans.
1.1 (usually as adjective furrowed) Use a plough to make a long, narrow trench in (land or earth): furrowed fields...
- They scan the newly furrowed earth for tiny shoots of green and give a small sigh of relief when they find them.
- The field was furrowed, ploughed, but nothing was growing, not at this time of year.
- The Blue Party talk about encouraging wealth creation, but it is for the benefit of yon City folk, not for them as have to till the land and furrow the soil.
2(With reference to the forehead or face) mark or be marked with lines or wrinkles caused by frowning, anxiety, or concentration: [with object]: a look of concern furrowed his brow [no object]: his brows furrowed in concentration (as adjective furrowed) he stroked his furrowed brow...
- Under the bright glow from the fire, she could see him frown, his brow furrowed with concentration.
- Mark's brow furrowed and he almost whispered ‘She had a stroke and fell into a comma.’
- I stared closely at it, a frown furrowing my brow.
Synonyms
wrinkle, crease, line, crinkle, pucker, crumple, screw up, scrunch up, corrugate
Origin
Old English furh, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch voor and German Furche, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin porca 'ridge between furrows'.
Rhymes
- proselytizer
- proseman
- prose master
- proseminar
- proseminary
- prosencephalic
- prosencephalon
- prosenchyma
- prosenchymatous
- proseology
- prose poem
- prose poet
- prose poetry
- proser
- prose rhythm
- Proserpina
- Proserpine
- prose sense
- prose style
- prose translation
- proseucha
- proseuche
- prose writer
- prose writing
- pro shop