muz|zle

muz|zle
muz|zle «MUHZ uhl», noun, verb, -zled, -zling.
–n.
1. the nose, mouth, and jaws of a four-footed animal; snout: »

the muzzle of a dog. The antler'd deer…thrust his muzzle in the air (Joaquin Miller).

2. a) a cover or cage of straps or wires to put over an animal's head and mouth to keep it from biting or eating. b) any one of various contrivances that resemble this, such as the respirator of a gas mask.
3. the open front end of the barrel of a gun: »

Friday…clapped the muzzle of his piece into his ear, and shot him dead as a stone (Daniel Defoe).

–v.t.
1. to put a muzzle on.
2. Figurative. to compel (a person) to keep silent about something: »

Fear that he might betray his friends muzzled him. The government muzzled the newspapers during the rebellion.

3. to sniff at; poke the head into: »

... a spaniel muzzling the wind (Atlantic).

╂[Middle English musell < Old French musel < muse muzzle < Medieval Latin musus snout. Compare etym. under muse.]
–muz´zler, noun.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • muz|zle|load|er — «MUHZ uhl LOH duhr», noun. a muzzleloading gun …   Useful english dictionary

  • muz|zle|load|ing — «MUHZ uhl LOH dihng», adjective. loaded by putting gunpowder or bullets in through the open front end of the barrel and ramming it down …   Useful english dictionary

  • un|muz|zle — «uhn MUHZ uhl», transitive verb, zled, zling. 1. to take off a muzzle from (a dog or other animal). 2. Figurative. to free from restraint; allow to speak or write freely: »to unmuzzle the press …   Useful english dictionary

  • muz — muz·zi·ly; muz·zi·ness; muz·zler; muz·zy; tam·muz; muz·zle; …   English syllables

  • muz´zler — muz|zle «MUHZ uhl», noun, verb, zled, zling. –n. 1. the nose, mouth, and jaws of a four footed animal; snout: »the muzzle of a dog. The antler d deer…thrust his muzzle in the air (Joaquin Miller). 2. a) a cover or cage of straps or wires to put… …   Useful english dictionary

  • zle — adaz·zle; ai·zle; bam·boo·zle; bam·boo·zle·ment; bez·zle; bum·fuz·zle; daz·zle·ment; driz·zle droz·zle; em·bez·zle; em·bez·zle·ment; goo·zle; ha·zle; hea·zle·wood·ite; noz·zle·man; piz·zle; puz·zle·ment; raz·zle; sche·moz·zle; schnoz·zle;… …   English syllables

  • muzzle — muz·zle …   English syllables

  • muzzle — muz·zle məz əl n 1) the projecting jaws and nose of an animal: SNOUT 2) a fastening or covering for the mouth of an animal used to prevent eating or biting muzzle vt, muz·zled; muz·zling (ə )liŋ to fit with a muzzle * * * muz·zle (muzґəl)… …   Medical dictionary

  • muzzleloader — muz′zle•load er or muz′zle load er n. mil a firearm that is loaded through the muzzle • Etymology: 1855–60 muz′zle•load ing, adj …   From formal English to slang

  • muzzle — muz|zle1 [ mʌzl ] noun count 1. ) the nose and mouth of an animal such as a dog or horse 2. ) something that you put around the nose and mouth of a dog to prevent it from biting people 3. ) the end of a gun BARREL where the bullets come out… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”