Also 5–7 frownce. Cf. the altered form FLOUNCE sb. [a. OFr. fronce, fronche (Fr. fronce), = Sardinian frunza.

1

  According to some scholars a vbl. noun f. the Rom. *frontire (OF., Pr., OSp. froncir, Sp. fruncir, Cat. frunsir, Sard. frunziri), to wrinkle the brow, to wrinkle, f. L. front-em brow, FRONT. Others consider the Rom. sb. to be adopted from OHG. (*wrunza), runza, modG. runze wrinkle.]

2

  † 1.  A wrinkle. Obs.

3

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 27. He seeth her front is large and pleine, Withoute frounce of any greine.

4

1430–40.  Lydg., Bochas, I. xx. (1494), e vij b.

        Their riueled skyn abrode to drawe & strain,
Forward frouces to make the smoth & plain.

5

1527.  Andrew, Brunswyke’s Distyll. Waters, C iv. The same water taketh awaye the frounces in the face whan it is rubbed therwith.

6

1616.  Bullokar, Frownce, a wrinkle.

7

1721.  Bailey, Frounce, a Plait, a Wrinkle. Hence in mod. Dicts.

8

  † 2.  A fold, crease; a pleat. Also fig., duplicity.

9

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Boeth., I. pr. ii. 5 (Camb. MS.). With the lappe of hir garnement I-plited in a frounce she dryede myn eyen.

10

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XIII. 318. ‘Bi Criste,’ quod Conscience tho, ‘thi best cote … hath many moles and spottes’ … ‘Ȝe, who so toke hede’ … Men sholde fynde many frounces and many foule plottes.

11

1390.  Gower, Conf., I. 173. So that he pronounce A plein good word withouten frounce.

12

1721.  [see 1].

13

  † 3.  The ornamented edge of a cup. Obs.

14

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 180/2. Frownce of a cuppe, frontinella (Pynson frigium).

15

  † 4.  = FLOUNCE sb.2 1. Obs.–1

16

1619.  Fletcher, M. Thomas, I. ii. Farthingals, and frounces.

17

  5.  With allusion to Milton’s use of FROUNCE v.: A piece of foppish display.

18

1881.  Duffield, Don Quix., II. 397. With these [dresses] he made so many frounces and tricks.

19

1887.  Saintsbury, Ess. Eng. Lit. (1891), 153. He [Hazlitt] is generally thought of as, and for the most part is, a rather plain and straightforward writer, with few tricks and frounces of phrase and style.

20

  Hence † Frounceless a., without a frounce or wrinkle, unwrinkled.

21

a 1366[?].  Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 860. Hir forheed frounceles.

22