furrow
UK[ˈfʌr.əʊ]US[ˈfɝː.oʊ]
n
a long, narrow trench made in the ground by a plow, especially for planting seeds or for irrigation.
n
a deep wrinkle or groove in a surface, especially on the skin of the face.
v
to make furrows in something, especially the earth or one's brow.
Etymology
the word 'furrow' descends directly from the old english 'furh', meaning a trench or a track. this term has cognates across the germanic languages, such as old high german 'furh' and old norse 'for', all pointing to a common proto-germanic ancestor, 'furhs'. this proto-germanic root is further traced back to the proto-indo-european 'perk-', meaning 'to dig' or 'to tear', a root that also gives us the latin 'porca' (a ridge between furrows). the semantic journey is straightforward and concrete: from the ancient action of digging, to the specific trench created by a plow, and later extended metaphorically to any similar groove, such as a wrinkle on the face.
Analysis
the word 'furrow' is a simplex word of old english origin. it does not neatly divide into smaller, meaningful morphemes within its modern english spelling.
Examples
the farmer drove the tractor, cutting a deep furrow into the rich, dark soil.
a deep furrow of concern appeared on his forehead as he read the news.
years of squinting in the sun had furrowed the skin around her eyes.