brown study

noun

1. deep, serious absorption in thought.

   Lost in a brown study, she was oblivious to the noise.

brown study

noun

1. a mood of deep absorption or thoughtfulness; reverie

Word History and Origins

Origin of brown study¹

First recorded in 1525–35

Example Sentences

“The Potato Eaters,” the large, mostly brown study of peasants at a humble meal that scholars consider Vincent’s first masterpiece, was hung above the fireplace.

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Most people spend between 30 and 47 percent of their waking hours spacing out, drifting off, lost in thought, woolgathering, in a brown study or building castles in the air.

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When he wanted to keep a painting, he sometimes painted on the back: two brown studies for his early work The Potato Eaters have later, vibrant self-portraits on their reverse.

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All that day I remained buried in the deepest brown study imaginable.

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Probably he was in a brown study about something.

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