BROWBEAT (browbeaten)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: browbeaten   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does browbeat mean? 

• BROWBEAT (verb)
  The verb BROWBEAT has 2 senses:

1. be bossy towards

2. discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate

  Familiarity information: BROWBEAT used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BROWBEAT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they browbeat    ... he / she / it browbeats   
Past simple: browbeat   
Past participle: browbeaten   
-ing form: browbeating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be bossy towards

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

ballyrag; boss around; browbeat; bully; bullyrag; hector; push around; strong-arm

Context example:

Her big brother always bullied her when she was young

Hypernyms (to "browbeat" is one way to...):

intimidate (make timid or fearful)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "browbeat"):

domineer; tyrannise; tyrannize (rule or exercise power over (somebody) in a cruel and autocratic manner)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

browbeat; bully; swagger

Hypernyms (to "browbeat" is one way to...):

blarney; cajole; coax; inveigle; palaver; sweet-talk; wheedle (influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something

Sentence example:

They browbeat him into writing the letter

 Context examples 

It is not a very manly thing, Mr. Holmes, to come here and browbeat a woman.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Why was I always suffering, always browbeaten, always accused, for ever condemned?

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)