brown
/braʊn/ (bre, ipa) · [brˈaʊn] /braʊn/ (ame, ipa) · [brˈaʊn] /ˈbrau̇n/ (ame, mw)
brown — adjective
- brownpositive
- brownercomparative
- brownestsuperlative
1. having a dark colour that is a mix of red, yellow, and black — the colour you se
having a dark colour that is a mix of red, yellow, and black — the colour you see in chocolate, coffee beans, tree bark, or soil.
Aoi put on a pair of brown leather shoes to go with her skirt.
brown + noun (leather shoes)
The autumn leaves turned from green to a deep brown before falling to the ground.
Reema stirred the coffee until it became a warm, milky brown.
An old brown sofa sat in the living room, soft from years of use.
The parcel was wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with string.
- tan
lighter; a pale brown like leather
- chocolate
a rich, dark brown like chocolate bars
- coffee-coloured
a medium brown like brewed coffee
- umber
a darker, earthy brown; less common
文法句型
brown + noun
be + brown
用法筆記
Attributive use (before a noun) is the most common pattern: brown hair, brown eyes, brown shoes. In predicative position, it often follows verbs of change like turn, go, or become.
常見錯誤
2. used to talk about people with naturally brown skin, especially those whose fami
used to talk about people with naturally brown skin, especially those whose family origins are in South Asia, the Middle East, or Latin America; this word can describe a shared cultural or ethnic identity.
The festival celebrated the music and food of Brown communities across the country.
capitalised Brown as cultural identity
Yael's school has students from many backgrounds, including Black, White, and Brown children.
used alongside other ethnic-group labels
The report examined how Brown families were affected by changes to housing policy.
Bilal spoke about growing up as a Brown person in a mostly White town.
文法句型
brown + noun (person / community / population)
用法筆記
When capitalised (Brown), the word functions as a proper adjective for a broad ethnic or cultural identity. The term is used differently across regions — in the UK it commonly refers to South Asian communities, while in the US it often describes Latinx communities. Always use with sensitivity to context.
常見錯誤
brown — noun
- brownsingular
- brownsplural
1. the dark shade that combines red, yellow, and black — seen in items such as choc
the dark shade that combines red, yellow, and black — seen in items such as chocolate bars, coffee beans, tree bark, and earth; its lightness is low and its saturation is moderate.
The walls of the living room were painted a warm shade of brown.
a shade of brown
Eshe chose a jacket in a dark brown that matched her leather boots.
In the painting, brown was used for the tree trunks and the earth below them.
The artist mixed red and green to create a rich, earthy brown.
Henrik prefers browns and greys over bright colours for his winter clothes.
- white
the opposite of brown on the lightness scale
文法句型
shade / colour of brown
in brown
a + adjective + brown
用法筆記
As an uncountable noun (most common), brown refers to the colour in general: 'Brown is my favourite colour.' As a countable noun, it refers to a specific shade or type: 'The painting uses warm browns and deep greens.'
常見錯誤
brown — verb
- brownpresent simple I / you / we / they
- browns3rd person singular
- browning-ing form
- brownedpast simple
1. to cook food, especially meat or vegetables, until its outer surface turns a bro
to cook food, especially meat or vegetables, until its outer surface turns a brown colour, usually by frying or heating in an oven.
Henry browned the onions in butter before adding the tomatoes and garlic.
transitive: brown + noun (food) in + fat
Nellie cooked the chicken pieces until they were nicely browned on both sides.
passive: were browned
The recipe says to brown the meat first, then add the vegetables and stock.
Brian browned the bread in the oven for a few minutes until it was crisp.
The sliced potatoes browned quickly in the hot oil.
文法句型
brown + noun (food)
brown in + fat/pan
brown on + side/stove
用法筆記
Common in recipe instructions. The verb focuses on the colour change of the food's surface, not the cooking method itself — you can brown food by frying, roasting, grilling, or broiling. Frequently used in the passive: 'The meat is browned on all sides.'