grouse

¹ American  

[grous] / graʊs /

noun

grouses plural

1. any of numerous gallinaceous birds of the subfamily Tetraoninae.

2. British. the red grouse.

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grouse ² American  

[grous] / graʊs /

verb (used without object)

groused, grousing

1. to grumble; complain.

   I've never met anyone who grouses so much about his work.

   Synonyms:

   fuss, fret, gripe

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noun

1. a complaint.

grouse ³ American  

[grous] / graʊs /

adjective

Australian Slang.

1. excellent; great; wonderful.

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grouse ¹ British  

/ ɡraʊs /

verb

1. (intr) to grumble; complain

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noun

1. a persistent complaint

grouse ² British  

/ ɡraʊs /

noun

1. any gallinaceous bird of the family Tetraonidae, occurring mainly in the N hemisphere, having a stocky body and feathered legs and feet. They are popular game birds See also black grouse red grouse

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adjective

1. slang excellent

Other Word Forms

• grouseless
  adjective
• grouselike
  adjective
• grouser
  noun

Etymology

Origin of grouse¹

First recorded in 1525–35; origin uncertain

Origin of grouse²

First recorded in 1885–1900; originally British army slang; further origin uncertain; see also grouch

Origin of grouse³

First recorded in 1920–25; origin uncertain

Explanation

A grouse is a plump little bird. Don’t like birds? You can grouse, or complain, about them. The word grouse means both, but a grouse wouldn’t grouse because birds don’t whine. The word grouse has been around since the 1500s, referring to a ground-dwelling game bird with feathery feet and legs. It’s a bird, so people hunt it, which is maybe how grouse came to mean “to complain” a few hundred years later. You might grouse about the amount of homework your social studies teacher assigns or about the terrible weather or about the high price of gas. People will grouse about pretty much anything!

Example Sentences

“They’re different,” says Michael Hampel of Grouse Mountain Farm in Chelan, one of Washington’s few currant producers.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 28, 2022

The Ruffed Grouse, a ground-nesting bird that lives in dense forest, is also known for a nonvocal sound.

From Scientific American • Sep. 15, 2021

Grouse shooting, deer stalking and other country sports are said to be worth £350m to the country's economy.

From BBC • May 20, 2019

Kathy Love is the author of “Sage Grouse, Icon of the West,” illustrated with photographs by Noppadol Paothong.

From Washington Post • Dec. 14, 2018

The full moon is rising over the chimneys and gabled rooftops of the little town as I walk up the steps to the Ruffed Grouse Hotel and enter the lobby.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George