ὀφρῦς

English (LSJ)

ύος, ἡ, acc. ὀφρῦν, in late Poets ὀφρύα, AP12.186 (Strat.), Opp.C.4.405, Q.S.4.361: acc. pl. ὀφρύας (in the fourth foot) Od.9.389; but ὀφρῦς (before caesura) Il.16.740, and so in Att. (v. infr.). [ῡ in nom. and acc., which are accented ὀφρῦς, -ῦν by Hdn.Gr.2.937: the accentuation ὀφρύς, ὀφρύν may be admitted in late writers: compds. have ῠ, εὔοφρυς, λεύκοφρυς, etc.] (Cf. Skt.

   A bhrūs, gen. bhruvas, Slav. br[ucaron]v[icaron], OE. brú 'brow'.):—brow, eyebrow, τὸν . . ὑπ' ὀφρύος οὖτα Il.14.493; ἡ ὀ. ἡ δεξιά, ἡ ἀριστερά, Arist.PA671b32, cf. Pr.878b28: elsewh. in pl., ὑπ' ὀφρύσι δάκρυα λεῖβον Il.13.88, al.; ὑπ' ὀ. πῦρ ἀμάρυσσεν Hes. Th.827, etc.: freq. of signs, ἐπ' ὀφρύσι νεῦσε Κρονίων, i.e. ἐπένευσε ὀφρύσι, nodded assent, Il.1.528, etc.; ἡ δ' ἄρ' ἐπ' ὀ. νεῦσε nodded to him to do a thing, Od.16.164; ἀνὰ δ' ὀφρύσι νεῦον ἑκάστῳ made a sign not to do, 9.468; ὀφρύσι νευστάζων 12.194: in various phrases expressing emotions, τὰς ὀ. ἀνασπᾶν, in token of grief, τὰς ὀφρῦς ἀνεσπακώς, ὥσπερ τι δεινὸν ἀγγελῶν Ar.Ach.1069; ἀνασπάσας τις τὰς ὀφρῦς οἴμοι λαλεῖ Men.556.3; of pride (cf. ὀφρυόομαι), D.19.314; οἱ τὰς ὀφρῦς αἴροντες Men.39; ὀφρῦν ἐπαίρειν E.Fr.1040, cf. Amphis 13; τὰς ὀ. ἔχειν ἐπάνω τῆς κορυφῆς Alex.16.6; ὑπὲρ αὐτοὺς κροτάφους ὑπεραίρειν Luc.Am.54; ὀφρῦς ἔχειν Ar.Ra.925; ὀφρῦν ἐφέλκεσθαι AP7.440.6 (Leon., interpol.?); ἐρύσσαι ib.5.215 (Agath.); ἀνελκταῖς ὀφρύσι σεμνός Cratin.355: contrariwise, τὰς ὀφρῦς συνάγειν knit the brows, frown, Ar.Nu.582, Pl.756, etc.; τὰς ὀ. συνέλκειν Antiph.307; συσπᾶν Luc.Vit.Auct.7; κατεσπακώς Alciphr.3.3: on the other hand, καταβαλεῖν, λῦσαι, μεθεῖναι τὰς ὀ. or τὴν ὀ., let down or unknit the brow, become calm or cheerful again, E.Cyc.167, Hipp.290, IA648; ὀ. μὴ καθειμένη Zeno Stoic.1.58; σχάζεσθαι τὰς ὀ. Pl.Com.32; καθέσθαι Plu. 2.1062f: the brow was also the seat of smiles and joy, ἀγανᾷ χλοαρὸν γελάσσαις ὀφρύϊ Pi.P.9.38, cf. h.Cer.358; or gravity, στυγνὸν ὀφρύων νέφος E.Hipp.[172]; ὁρᾶτε ὡς σπουδαῖαι μὲν αὐτοῦ αἱ ὀφρύες X.Smp.8.3; on their physiognomical character, v. Arist.HA491b14, Phgn. 812b26.    2 ὀφρῦς alone, scorn, pride, AP7.409 (Antip.), 9.43 (Parmen.), 10.122 (Lucill.), etc.    II from like ness of shape, brow of a hill, crag, Il.20.151, Pi.O.13.106; embankment, ὀ. ἀπότομος Plb. 36.8.3; overhanging bank of a river, Id.2.33.7, etc.; ἐπ' ὀφρύων ποταμοῦ PAmh.2.68.9 (i A. D.); of the sea, A.R.1.178, etc.; of a ditch, Str.5.3.7 (cf. ὀφρύη); of the rim of joint-cavities, Gal.UP 1.15, al.; of the woodwork enclosing the bore of a torsion-engine, Ph.Bel.57.7: in Archit., architrave, Procop.Gaz.p.157 B.    III a plant, Plin.HN26.164.

English (Strong)

perhaps from ὀπτάνομαι (through the idea of the shading or proximity to the organ of vision); the eye-"brow" or forehead, i.e. (figuratively) the brink of a precipice: brow.