MUZZLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does muzzle mean? 

• MUZZLE (noun)
  The noun MUZZLE has 4 senses:

1. the open circular discharging end of a gun

2. forward projecting part of the head of certain animals; includes the jaws and nose

3. a leather or wire restraint that fits over an animal's snout (especially a dog's nose and jaws) and prevents it from eating or biting

4. restraint put into a person's mouth to prevent speaking or shouting

  Familiarity information: MUZZLE used as a noun is uncommon.

• MUZZLE (verb)
  The verb MUZZLE has 3 senses:

1. fit with a muzzle

2. prevent from speaking out

3. tie a gag around someone's mouth in order to silence them

  Familiarity information: MUZZLE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MUZZLE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The open circular discharging end of a gun

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

gun muzzle; muzzle

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

opening (a vacant or unobstructed space that is man-made)

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

gunpoint; point (the gun muzzle's direction)

Holonyms ("muzzle" is a part of...):

gun (a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Forward projecting part of the head of certain animals; includes the jaws and nose

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

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

face (the part of an animal corresponding to the human face)

Meronyms (parts of "muzzle"):

neb; snout (a long projecting or anterior elongation of an animal's head; especially the nose)

Holonyms ("muzzle" is a part of...):

caput; head (the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A leather or wire restraint that fits over an animal's snout (especially a dog's nose and jaws) and prevents it from eating or biting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

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

constraint; restraint (a device that retards something's motion)

Derivation:

muzzle (fit with a muzzle)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Restraint put into a person's mouth to prevent speaking or shouting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

gag; muzzle

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

constraint; restraint (a device that retards something's motion)

Derivation:

muzzle (tie a gag around someone's mouth in order to silence them)

muzzle (prevent from speaking out)

• MUZZLE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they muzzle    ... he / she / it muzzles   
Past simple: muzzled   
Past participle: muzzled   
-ing form: muzzling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Fit with a muzzle

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

muzzle the dog to prevent it from biting strangers

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

equip; fit; fit out; outfit (provide with (something) usually for a specific purpose)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Antonym:

unmuzzle (remove the muzzle from (a dog))

Derivation:

muzzle (a leather or wire restraint that fits over an animal's snout (especially a dog's nose and jaws) and prevents it from eating or biting)

muzzler (someone who muzzles animals)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Prevent from speaking out

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

gag; muzzle

Context example:

The press was gagged

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

hush; hush up; quieten; shut up; silence; still (cause to be quiet or not talk)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to muzzle the prisoners

Derivation:

muzzle (restraint put into a person's mouth to prevent speaking or shouting)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Tie a gag around someone's mouth in order to silence them

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

gag; muzzle

Context example:

The burglars gagged the home owner and tied him to a chair

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

bind; tie (fasten or secure with a rope, string, or cord)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

muzzle (restraint put into a person's mouth to prevent speaking or shouting)

 Context examples 

It has a broad, powerful head, short muzzle, and very strong jaws.

(American Staffordshire Terrier, NCI Thesaurus)

He was ranging at the head of the pack, running the wild thing down, the living meat, to kill with his own teeth and wash his muzzle to the eyes in warm blood.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

The head is large and the muzzle is a bit shorter than the skull, with a blunt profile.

(Anatolian Shepherd Dog, NCI Thesaurus)

This breed has a broad head, short muzzle and a shaggy coat all over the body, even under the chin.

(Bearded Collie, NCI Thesaurus)

It has a wedge-shaped head with muzzle and skull about the same length.

(American Eskimo Dog, NCI Thesaurus)

She grasped the muzzle with her hand and threw it up.

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

The Bullmastiff is very powerfully built with a broad wrinkled head and fairly short, square, dark muzzle.

(Bullmastiff, NCI Thesaurus)

The muzzle is long, but not pointed, and it has a short, dense coat that comes in solid liver or liver and white, patched, ticked or roan.

(German Shorthaired Pointer, NCI Thesaurus)

He had managed to get the muzzle in between the jaws on one side, and was trying to get it out between the jaws on the other side.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The flat skull and muzzle are long and slim.

(Pharaoh Hound, NCI Thesaurus)