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Strange if there's is no verb for this universal gesture of greeting, surprise, affirmation, etc.
Any ideas?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Interesting question! I guess you could apply bristle or beetle, but neither is exactly on target. You might also say, "His eyebrows swept upward"; but if you're looking for a single word for it such as masticate or pandiculation ;-), I don't know of one.
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Carpal Tunnel
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while we wait for themilum to weigh in with a definitive answer, here are some interesting things to ponder:
1) the levator is a muscle that serves to raise some body part, as the lip or the eyelid
2) the source of supercilious (showing haughty disdain) is Latin supercilium, eyebrow
3) to raise one's eyesbrows (or an eyebrow) is shown as a phrase in OED under eyebrow (and raise).
edit:
4) a search of W3 yields risus sardonicus, a facial expression characterized by raised eyebrows and grinning distortion of the face resulting from spasm of facial muscles especially in tetanus; this is, of course, no help whatsoever but nicely rounds out my research.
-joe (pride goeth before a fall) friday
Last edited by tsuwm; 06/21/07 04:26 PM.
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based on the preceding, and after the extant desuperpollicate, I suggest superciliate.
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based on the preceding, and after the extant desuperpollicate, I suggest superciliate. and if you're doing it to be goofy, supersillyate. :¬ )
formerly known as etaoin...
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Well we could go way out on a limb to invent a cultural definition. The raising of one eyebrow could be termed "Spocking". Could be useful to derive a word for raising both? ... Nah. 
ÅΓª╥┐↕§
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old hand
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Well we could go way out on a limb to invent a cultural definition. 'Tungou' pron: Tu(too) ngou (ng, as in sing. ou, as in oh) To raise ones eyebrows or chin in acknowledgement or greeting. This is almost a part of Cook islands language.
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based on the preceding, and after the extant desuperpollicate, I suggest superciliate. The word itself is sure to provoke lavish superciliation. I like it.
Last edited by Hydra; 06/22/07 11:27 AM.
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