muzzle

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈmʌzəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #16717

Meanings

1

verb
fit with a muzzle

Muzzle the dog to prevent it from biting strangers.
2

noun
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, […].
3

verb
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.
4

verb
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.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · the protruding part of an... snout

3 verb · to bind or confine an... bemuzzle

Word family

Derived forms graymuzzlegreymuzzlemuzzle-bagmuzzle-loadermuzzle-loadingmuzzlelessmuzzlelikemuzzleloadermuzzleloadingmuzzlermuzzockunmuzzle

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

muzzle velocity
the speed and direction of a projectile as it leaves a gun's barrel

Noun + noun

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.

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# muzzle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈmʌzəl/
**Frequency rank:** 16717

## Meanings
1. fit with a muzzle
2. The protruding part of an animal's head which includes the nose, mouth and jaws.
3. To bind or confine an animal's mouth by putting a muzzle, as to prevent it from eating or biting.
4. To restrain (from speaking, expressing opinion or acting); to gag; to silence; to censor.

## Examples
- Muzzle the dog to prevent it from biting strangers.
- The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes, / The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes, […].
- Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.
- Those who want to muzzle everyone else are likely nothing less than pseudovirtuous.

## Derived Forms
- graymuzzle
- greymuzzle
- muzzle-bag
- muzzle-loader
- muzzle-loading
- muzzleless
- muzzlelike
- muzzleloader
- muzzleloading
- muzzler
- muzzock
- unmuzzle

## 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.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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