frounce

Meaning

Noun

1. A canker in the mouth of a hawk.
2. A plait or curl.

Verb

1. (ambitransitive, rare) To curl.
2. (rare) To crease, wrinkle, to frown.
3. To gather into or adorn with plaits, as a dress.

Synonyms

curl

frizz

frizzle

pleat

wave

👋

wrinkle

crimple

Pronounced as (IPA)

/fɹaʊns/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: frouncen

Cognate with Old High German: runza

Cognate with German: Runzel

Cognate with Middle Dutch: ronse

Cognate with Old Norse: hrukka

Cognate with Icelandic: hrukka

In summary

From Middle English frouncen, from Old French froncir "to wrinkle, frown", from Frankish *hrunkiju (“a wrinkle”), from Proto-Germanic *hrunkijō, *hrunkitō (“fold, wrinkle”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, bend”).
Akin to Old High German runza "fold, wrinkle, crease" (German Runzel "wrinkle"), Middle Dutch ronse "frown", Old Norse hrukka "wrinkle, crease" (Icelandic hrukka "wrinkle, crease, ruck"). More at ruck₂.