GRIN (grinned, grinning)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: grinned    , grinning   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does grin mean? 

• GRIN (noun)
  The noun GRIN has 1 sense:

1. a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

  Familiarity information: GRIN used as a noun is very rare.

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

1. to draw back the lips and reveal the teeth, in a smile, grimace, or snarl

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

 Dictionary entry details 

• GRIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

grin; grinning; smile; smiling

Hypernyms ("grin" is a kind of...):

facial expression; facial gesture (a gesture executed with the facial muscles)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "grin"):

simper (a silly self-conscious smile)

smirk (a smile expressing smugness or scorn instead of pleasure)

Derivation:

grin (to draw back the lips and reveal the teeth, in a smile, grimace, or snarl)

• GRIN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they grin    ... he / she / it grins   
Past simple: grinned   
Past participle: grinned   
-ing form: grinning   

Sense 1

Meaning:

To draw back the lips and reveal the teeth, in a smile, grimace, or snarl

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

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

smile (change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

grin (a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement)

grinner (a person who grins)

grinning (a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement)

 Context examples 

Similar were the donations from other grinning sailors.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Holmes grinned at the last item.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He lay upon his back, his face upturned, with his white teeth grinning through his short, black beard.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Martin grinned as he picked himself up.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

John, when I turned to him, was grinning from ear to ear.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The last glimpse I had was of the bloated face, blood-stained and fixed with a grin of malice which would have held its own in the nethermost hell.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

“Sorry, but I’ve lost the signal book overboard,” he remarked, and the group of hunters grinned.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

“He’s gone to his room early, sir, seein’ that he had some very partic’lar business to-morrow mornin’,” said the landlord, grinning.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Big John scratched his red head and grinned in high delight when the question was propounded to him.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The old man grinned, and showed his teeth, as if he should have been very glad to get into the circle if he could.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)