muzzle

Meaning

Noun

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

Verb

1. (transitive) To bind or confine an animal's mouth by putting a muzzle, as to prevent it from eating or biting.
2. (figuratively, transitive) To restrain (from speaking, expressing opinion or acting); to gag; to silence; to censor.
3. (obsolete, transitive) To veil, mask, muffle.
4. (obsolete, transitive) To fondle with the closed mouth; to nuzzle.
5. (intransitive) To bring the muzzle or mouth near.

Synonyms

snout

gag

gunpoint

mouth

gun muzzle

keep silent

nozzle

neb

stick

barrel

tunnel

jaws

embrasure

face

maw

mug

nose guard

abyss

os

phiz

proboscis

ravine

restrain

rhinarium

rhinoscope

shout down

silence

snoot

still

vent

wear

wrap

yap

ejector nozzle

gun barrel

stamp down

gun point

nose and mouth

nasal speculum

barrel of a gun

end of the barrel

rima oris

discharge jet

ejection nozzle

jet orifice

impose silence on

nozzle orifice

jet tip

injecting nozzle

air spout

Translations

muselière

Maulkorb

museau

Schnauze

museler

bozal

muilkorven

muso

muilkorf

bek

museruola

muil

muilband

hocico

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmʌzəl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: mosel

Cognate with French: museau

Cognate with Latin: mūgīre

In summary

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.