brown

The color of chocolate, coffee, or many tree trunks.

• Brown is my favorite color.
• Mix red and green to make brown.
• The artist used several browns in the painting.

Common phrases: dark brown, light brown, shade of brown, rich brown

Having the color of chocolate, coffee, or wood.

• She has brown eyes.
• He wore a brown coat.
• The leaves turned brown in autumn.

Common phrases: brown hair, brown eyes, brown shoes, brown leaves

Harmful to the environment, or opposed to protecting it.

• The report compares green and brown industries.
• Investors are moving away from brown energy.
• Brown policies favor growth over environmental protection.

Similar words: nongreen, anti-green

Opposites: green

Common phrases: brown energy, brown industries, brown policies

To cook food until its outside becomes the color of toast.

• Brown the onions in oil.
• The potatoes browned nicely in the oven.
• Let the meat brown before adding water.

How to use it: brown something in something (Brown the chicken in a little butter.)

Common phrases: brown the onions, brown the meat, brown in butter

To become darker in color because of sunlight, or make skin darker this way.

• His skin browns quickly in sunlight.
• The summer sun browned her arms.
• My face had browned after a week outdoors.

Similar words: tan

Common phrases: brown in sunlight, brown the skin, brown in summer