grizzle

¹

[griz-uhl]

verb (used with or without object)

grizzled, grizzling 

1. to make or become gray or partly gray.

adjective

1. gray; grayish; devoid of hue.

noun

1. gray or partly gray hair.

2. a gray wig.

grizzle

²

[griz-uhl]

verb (used without object)

British.

grizzled, grizzling 

1. to complain; whimper; whine.

2. to laugh or grin in mockery; sneer.

grizzle

¹

/ ˈɡrɪzəl /

verb

1. to make or become grey

noun

1. a grey colour

2. grey or partly grey hair

3. a grey wig

grizzle

²

/ ˈɡrɪzəl /

verb

1. (esp of a child) to fret; whine

2. to sulk or grumble

Other Word Forms

• grizzler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of grizzle¹

1350–1400; Middle English grisel < Old French, derivative of gris gray < Germanic; griseous

Origin of grizzle²

1740–50; origin uncertain; compare Middle High German grisgramen to gnash one's teeth, German Griesgram sourpuss

Word History and Origins

Origin of grizzle¹

C15: from Old French grisel, from gris, of Germanic origin; compare Middle High German grīs grey

Origin of grizzle²

C18: of Germanic origin; compare Old High German grist-grimmōn gnashing of teeth, German Griesgram unpleasant person

Example Sentences

His run-haul set him on the way to being one of the great leaders of the modern era, but he already looked a grizzled leader when taking the reins at 22.

Read more on BBC

The older version of , now the grizzled Diamond burnt out by tour life and desperate not to duplicate the mistakes he made in his first two marriages, is played by Robert Westenberg.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"It's unfair to lift censorship suddenly," growls a grizzled newspaper editor into the phone, a copy of The Daily Pulp sprawled across his desk.

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But at No Kings in Louisville, instead of white flags of surrender, I saw a grizzled Army Ranger holding a sign that read “Veteran Supporting the Constitution.”

Read more on Salon

On the same March 3 morning, the county asked for help identifying a wisp-thin elderly man with a grizzled beard and swollen black eye who’d been found in Monterey Park’s Edison Trails Park.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bleach