Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
raise eyebrows

raise eyebrows

Date: Jul 12 2007

Themes: Music

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

“Regarding the people who raise their eyebrows at the notion of the vanity of actors making records, all I can do is hope that they will listen without prejudice.”

- Minnie Driver on being both an actress and a musician. (HARP Magazine)

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

view suspiciously; distrust

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

When someone says something you don’t quite believe, what do you do with your face? Do you stick out your tongue? Do you make a kissy face? Obviously you raise your eyebrows. It’s the natural thing to do when you’re skeptical of something.

Raising eyebrows isn’t just a physical gesture to express suspicion, it’s also a figure of speech. If someone gets away with something without anyone noticing, you can say that person did it without raising any eyebrows. If someone plans to do something daring, you could say that person might raise some eyebrows.

Minnie Driver is most well known for acting in films like Good Will Hunting and Return to Me, but she recently recorded an album. Actors who record albums have a long history of sucking at music (see Eddie Murphy), so Driver knows that her venture into music will raise a few eyebrows but she hopes that people will take her seriously nonetheless.

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

“I can’t believe Wendy can just date three boys at once without raising an eyebrow!”

“Many parents raise their eyebrows when their children start listening to Marilyn Manson, but I let my kids listen to whatever they want.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

non approving
by stc
rubie91 disapprove of, surprised by
by rubie91
Y.Furu to show disapproval
by Y.Furu
it means be surprised by a thing
by Antoo_
show disapproval or disbelief
by periwinkle.chic
it means 'to be negatively surprised by the behavior of another person'
by snoggy
not quite agree with or being doubtful about something
by Northern.Wolf
to be surprised or to express disaproval
by edek
express surprise or criticize
by wonkapet
to be circumspect about something
by driyam
be surprised and disapproval
by cfreeman

Want to guess next week's slang?

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Comments

Log in to Comment

celson

celson

Brazil

to show that you are surprised or that you do not approve of something

05:11 AM Jul 27 2007 |

naddito

naddito

Saudi Arabia

it means to doubt or the lack of truth

08:17 AM Jul 17 2007 |

Likes (48):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast