GNASH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does gnash mean? 

• GNASH (verb)
  The verb GNASH has 1 sense:

1. grind together, of teeth

  Familiarity information: GNASH used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GNASH (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they gnash    ... he / she / it gnashes   
Past simple: gnashed   
Past participle: gnashed   
-ing form: gnashing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Grind together, of teeth

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "gnash" is one way to...):

grate; grind (make a grating or grinding sound by rubbing together)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

I gnashed my teeth and ground them together, uttering a groan that came from my inmost soul.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Those staring eyes and gnashing teeth flashed past us like a dreadful vision.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The Wicked Witch was so angry when she saw her black bees in little heaps like fine coal that she stamped her foot and tore her hair and gnashed her teeth.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

When I presented my bouquet, he gnashed his teeth with jealousy.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The others gave back, and gathered in a half circle round the open door, gnashing their teeth and shaking their clenched hands at the defenders.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I gnashed my teeth upon him with a gust of devilish fury; and the smile withered from his face—happily for him—yet more happily for myself, for in another instant I had certainly dragged him from his perch.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The feelings of kindness and gentleness which I had entertained but a few moments before gave place to hellish rage and gnashing of teeth.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

The monster saw my determination in my face and gnashed his teeth in the impotence of anger.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

When I thought of him I gnashed my teeth, my eyes became inflamed, and I ardently wished to extinguish that life which I had so thoughtlessly bestowed.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

But he is generally melancholy and despairing, and sometimes he gnashes his teeth, as if impatient of the weight of woes that oppresses him.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)