MUZZLE

muzzle

(noun) forward projecting part of the head of certain animals; includes the jaws and nose

gag, muzzle

(noun) restraint put into a person’s mouth to prevent speaking or shouting

muzzle

(noun) 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

gag, muzzle

(verb) tie a gag around someone’s mouth in order to silence them; “The burglars gagged the home owner and tied him to a chair”

gag, muzzle

(verb) prevent from speaking out; “The press was gagged”

muzzle

(verb) fit with a muzzle; “muzzle the dog to prevent it from biting strangers”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

---

Etymology

Noun

muzzle (plural muzzles)

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

The mouth or the end for entrance or discharge of a gun, pistol etc, that the bullet emerges from as opposed to the breech.

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

(chiefly, Scotland) A piece of the forward end of the plow-beam by which the traces are attached; bridle

(obsolete, historical) 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

muzzle (third-person singular simple present muzzles, present participle muzzling, simple past and past participle muzzled)

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

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

(transitive, obsolete) To veil, mask, muffle.

(transitive, obsolete) To fondle with the closed mouth; to nuzzle.

(intransitive) To bring the muzzle or mouth near.

Source: Wiktionary

---

Muz"zle, n. Etym: [OE. mosel, OF. musel, F. museau muzzle or snout, LL. musellus, fr. musus, morsus. See Muse, v. i., and cf. Morsel.]

1. The projecting mouth and nose of a quadruped, as of a horse; a snout.

2. The mouth of a thing; the end for entrance or discharge; as, the muzzle of a gun.

3. A fastening or covering (as a band or cage) for the mouth of an animal, to prevent eating or vicious biting. With golden muzzles all their mouths were bound Dryden. Muzzle sight. (Gun.) See Dispart, n., 2.

Muz"zle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Muzzled; p. pr. & vb. n. Muzzling.] Etym: [F. museler.]

1. To bind the mouth of; to fasten the mouth of, so as to prevent biting or eating; hence, figuratively, to bind; to sheathe; to restrain from speech or action. "My dagger muzzled." Shak. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Deut. xxv. 4.

2. To fondle with the closed mouth. [Obs.] L'Estrange.

Muz"zle, v. i.

Definition: To bring the mouth or muzzle near. The bear muzzles and smels to him. L'Estrange.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

---

Do you know this game?

Wordscapes is a popular word game consistently in the top charts of both Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The Android version has more than 10 million installs. This guide will help you get more coins in less than two minutes of playing the game. Continue reading Wordscapes: Get More Coins