muzzle
Meanings
Plural: muzzles
Noun
- the open circular discharging end of a gun
- forward projecting part of the head of certain animals; includes the jaws and nose
- a leather or wire restraint that fits over an animal's snout (especially a dog's nose and jaws) and prevents it from eating or biting
- restraint put into a person's mouth to prevent speaking or shouting
- The protruding part of an animal's head which includes the nose, mouth and jaws.
- A person's mouth.
- A device used to prevent an animal from biting or eating, which is worn on its snout.
- The mouth or the end for entrance or discharge of a gun, pistol etc., that the bullet emerges from.
- A piece of the forward end of the plow-beam by which the traces are attached.
- An openwork covering for the nose, used for the defense of the horse, and forming part of the bards in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Verb
- fit with a muzzle
- "muzzle the dog to prevent it from biting strangers"
- prevent from speaking out
- tie a gag around someone's mouth in order to silence them
- To bind or confine an animal's mouth by putting a muzzle, as to prevent it from eating or biting.
- To restrain (from speaking, expressing opinion or acting); to gag; to silence; to censor.
- To veil, mask, muffle.
- To fondle with the closed mouth; to nuzzle.
- To bring the muzzle or mouth near.
Origin / Etymology
From earlier muzle, musle, mousle, mussel, mozell, from Middle English mosel, from Old French musel, museau, muzeau (modern French museau), from Late Latin mūsus (“snout”), probably expressive of the shape of protruded lips and/or influenced by Latin mūgīre (“to moo, bellow”). Doublet of museau. Displaced native Middle English kevel from Old English cæfl (“gag, bit, muzzle”), see English cavel.
Antonyms
Scrabble Score: 26
muzzle is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL wordmuzzle is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
muzzle is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary
Words With Friends Score: 29
muzzle is a valid Words With Friends word