Muzzle
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ʌzəl
Origin
From earlier muzle, musle, mousle, mussel, mozell, from Middle English mosel, from Old French musel, museau, muzeau (modern French museau), from Late Latin mūsellum.
Full definition of muzzle
Noun
muzzle
(plural muzzles)- The protruding part of many animal's head which includes nose, mouth and jaws; 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.
Derived terms
Verb
- (transitive) To bind or confine an animal's mouth by putting a muzzle, as to prevent it from eating or biting.
- Bible, Deuteronomy xxv. 4Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.
- (transitive, figuratively) To restrain (from speaking, expressing opinion or acting); gag, silence, censor.
- 1919, Boris Sidis, :Man is brow-beaten, leashed, muzzled, masked, and lashed by boards and councils, by leagues and societies, by church and state.
- (transitive, obsolete) To veil, mask, muffle.
- (transitive, obsolete) To fondle with the closed mouth; to nuzzle.
- (intransitive) To bring the muzzle or mouth near.
- unknown date Sir R. L'EstrangeThe bear muzzles and smells to him.