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gnarl

1
[ nahrl ]
/ nɑrl /
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See synonyms for: gnarl / gnarled / gnarling on Thesaurus.com

noun
a knotty protuberance on a tree; knot.
verb (used with object)
to twist into a knotted or distorted form.
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Origin of gnarl

1
First recorded in 1805–15; back formation from gnarled

Other definitions for gnarl (2 of 2)

gnarl2
[ nahrl ]
/ nɑrl /

verb (used without object)
to growl; snarl.

Origin of gnarl

2
First recorded in 1585–95; variant of gnar
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use gnarl in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for gnarl (1 of 2)

gnarl1
/ (nɑːl) /

noun
any knotty protuberance or swelling on a tree
verb
(tr) to knot or cause to knot

Word Origin for gnarl

C19: back formation from gnarled, probably variant of knurled; see knurl

British Dictionary definitions for gnarl (2 of 2)

gnarl2

gnar (nɑː)

/ (nɑːl) /

verb
(intr) obsolete to growl or snarl

Word Origin for gnarl

C16: of imitative origin
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
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