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girn

1 American  
[gurn] / gɜrn /

verb (used with or without object)

Scot.
  1. grin.


girn 2 American  
[gurn] / gɜrn /

noun

Scot.
  1. grin.


girn British  
/ ɡɜːn, ɡərn /

verb

  1. to snarl

  2. to grimace; pull grotesque faces

  3. to complain fretfully or peevishly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of girn

C14: a variant of grin

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

"I mind it, sure enough," interjected Stackhouse, "and fowks began to girn, for they knew there was ivery cause an' 'pediment why he sud wed her."

From Tales of the Ridings by Vaughan, C.

What gies him that side-look, that fearfu girn, an' his slouchin walk!

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Vol. XX by Leighton, Alexander

The auld folk are crouse, and they craw That their putting is pawky and slee; In a bunker they're nae gude ava', But to girn, and to gar the sand flee.

From Ballads in Blue China by Lang, Andrew

I s' be like the lave, an' gien I greit I winna girn.

From Donal Grant, by George MacDonald by MacDonald, George

It's nae laughing to girn in a widdy.

From The Proverbs of Scotland by Hislop, Alexander

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