brown study

Brown study — Brown Brown (broun), a. [Compar. {Browner}; superl. {Brownest}.] [OE. brun, broun, AS. br?n; akin to D. bruin, OHG. br?n, Icel. br?nn, Sw. brun, Dan. bruun, G. braun, Lith. brunas, Skr. babhru. [root]93, 253. Cf. {Bruin}, {Beaver}, {Burnish},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

brown study — n. [orig., somber thought < early sense of BROWN, somber, gloomy] a condition of being deep in thought; reverie …   English World dictionary

brown study — {n. phr.} A time of deep thought about something; a deep thoughtful mood. * /When his wife found him, he had pushed away his books and was in a brown study./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

brown study — {n. phr.} A time of deep thought about something; a deep thoughtful mood. * /When his wife found him, he had pushed away his books and was in a brown study./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

brown study — deep, serious absorption in thought: Lost in a brown study, she was oblivious to the noise. [1525 35] * * * …   Universalium

brown study — noun Melancholy mood accompanied by deep thought; daydream. So gathering up the shavings with another grin, and throwing them into the great stove in the middle of the room, he went about his business, and left me in a brown study …   Wiktionary

brown\ study — n. phr. A time of deep thought about something; a deep thoughtful mood. When his wife found him, he had pushed away his books and was in a brown study …   Словарь американских идиом

brown study — brown′ stud′y n. deep, serious absorption in thought • Etymology: 1525–35 …   From formal English to slang

brown study — Synonyms and related words: Walter Mitty, absence of mind, absentmindedness, absorption, abstractedness, abstraction, bad dream, bemusement, castle building, close study, concentration, contemplativeness, daydream, daydreamer, daydreaming, deep… …   Moby Thesaurus

brown study — (Roget s Thesaurus II) noun The condition of being so lost in solitary thought as to be unaware of one s surroundings: absent mindedness, abstraction, bemusement, daydreaming, muse2, reverie, study, trance. See AWARENESS …   English dictionary for students

brown study — /braʊn ˈstʌdi/ (say brown studee) noun deep, serious absorption in thought …   Australian English dictionary