muzzle

[ muhz-uhl ]

noun

1. the mouth, or end for discharge, of the barrel of a gun, pistol, etc.
2. the projecting part of the head of an animal, including jaws, mouth, and nose.
3. a device, usually an arrangement of straps or wires, placed over an animal's mouth to prevent the animal from biting, eating, etc.

verb (used with object)

, muz·zled, muz·zling.

1. to put a muzzle on (an animal or its mouth) so as to prevent biting, eating, etc.
2. to restrain from speech, the expression of opinion, etc.:

   The censors muzzled the press.

   Synonyms: suppress, still, quiet, silence

3. Nautical. to attach the cable to the stock of (an anchor) by means of a light line to permit the anchor to be pulled loose readily.

muzzle

/ ˈmʌzəl /

noun

1. the projecting part of the face, usually the jaws and nose, of animals such as the dog and horse
2. a guard or strap fitted over an animal's nose and jaws to prevent it biting or eating
3. the front end of a gun barrel

verb

1. to prevent from being heard or noticed

   to muzzle the press

2. to put a muzzle on (an animal)
3. to take in (a sail)

Derived Forms

• ˈmuzzler, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of muzzle¹

1350–1400; Middle English musel < Middle French < Medieval Latin mūsellum, diminutive of mūsum snout < ?

Word History and Origins

Origin of muzzle¹

C15 mosel, from Old French musel, diminutive of muse snout, from Medieval Latin mūsus, of unknown origin

Example Sentences

My owner was horrified, and he took off the muzzle, and I am sure he felt awful that he put me through such a dreadful ordeal.

From Washington Post

Then, five minutes later, I was outside with no muzzle eating cicadas.

From Washington Post

The mask my mother-in-law puts on the dog statue outside her front door keeps getting ripped from his muzzle.

From Washington Post

The wild grass beyond his muzzle looked parched enough to burst into flames if you glanced at it wrong.

From Outside Online

I was trying to invent a kid-friendly mask that wouldn’t easily slip off little ears and I accidentally created a cotton muzzle.

From Washington Post

Control Room Sook Shoot Out -- some editorial changes and some VFX muzzle flashes.

From The Daily Beast

Biden is such a straight shooter that pundits say he needs a muzzle.

From The Daily Beast

Suddenly, the darkness came alive with muzzle flashes and tracer rounds.

From The Daily Beast

The result of the back-and-forth was guaranteed national publicity for the very ideas the politicians wanted to muzzle.

From The Daily Beast

He pointed the muzzle at Jones and pulled the trigger, shooting him in the head with a fatally real bullet.

From The Daily Beast

He turned at the sound of my voice with vastly more concern than he'd betrayed under the muzzle of Piegan's gun.

From Project Gutenberg

It was a hippopotamus which had been standing on the river-brink within six yards of the muzzle of his gun.

From Project Gutenberg

The gunner's seat moved with the carriage, from which he could elevate or depress the muzzle by a lever.

From Project Gutenberg

Then, lifting its head and muzzle to the sky, it opened its long jaws and gave vent to a dismal and prolonged howling.

From Project Gutenberg

He laughed, stooped over Black Hood, pressed the muzzle of his gun to the manhunter's forehead.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• censor
• choke
• clamp down on
• crack down on
• muffle
• repress
• restrain
• squelch
• stifle
• suppress