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muzzle

noun, verb — 11 senses

muzzle

noun

/ˈmʌzəl/

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.

1

The protruding part of an animal's head which includes the nose, mouth and jaws.

  • The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes, / The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes, […]1915 June, T[homas] S[tearns] Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, in Prufrock and Other Observations, London: The Egoist […], published 1917, →OCLC, page 10:
2

Broadly, Derogatory, Slang A person's mouth.

3

A device used to prevent an animal from biting or eating, which is worn on its snout.

4

Engineering, Firearms, Government, Military, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Politics, Tools, War, Weaponry The mouth or the end for entrance or discharge of a gun, pistol etc., that the bullet emerges from.

5

Scotland A piece of the forward end of the plow-beam by which the traces are attached.

6

Historical, Obsolete 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.

Derived terms
graymuzzle, greymuzzle, muzzle-bag, muzzle blast, muzzle booster, muzzle brake, muzzle compensator, muzzle energy, muzzle flash, muzzleless, muzzlelike, muzzle-loader, muzzleloader, muzzle-loading, muzzleloading, muzzle sweep, muzzle velocity, muzzock, unmuzzle

muzzle

verb

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.

1

To bind or confine an animal's mouth by putting a muzzle, as to prevent it from eating or biting.

  • Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 25:4:
2

Figuratively To restrain (from speaking, expressing opinion or acting); to gag; to silence; to censor.

  • Those who want to muzzle everyone else are likely nothing less than pseudovirtuous.
  • Man is brow-beaten, leashed, muzzled, masked, and lashed by boards and councils, by leagues and societies, by church and state.1919, Boris Sidis, The Source and Aim of Human Progress:
3

Obsolete To veil, mask, muffle.

4

Obsolete To fondle with the closed mouth; to nuzzle.

  • Venus her self would sit Muzzling and Gazing them in the Eyes1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:
  • And now, while they are climbing the pole in another part of the field, and muzzling in a flour-tub in another, the old farmer […] announces to all whom it may concern that a half-sovereign in money will be forthcoming to the old gamester who breaks most heads; […]1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's School Days:
5

To bring the muzzle or mouth near.

  • The Bear comes directly up to him, Muzzles and Smells to him.1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:
Derived terms
muzzler

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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