grouse

¹ American  

[grous] / graʊs /

noun

plural

grouse, grouses

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; 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

Young people grouse that employers are monitoring their productivity with “surveillance state technologies” and expect them to “do six jobs in a 40-hour workweek.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 9, 2025

There was nothing I could grouse about, and I simply admired a good game played.

From Salon • Oct. 29, 2025

What’s the point of working so hard at this if I’m not honored? he might grouse.

From Slate • Oct. 10, 2025

Muirburns are controlled fires set burn off old heather and other vegetation on grouse shooting estates.

From BBC • Jul. 17, 2025

We were on a county road near thick forest when we came on a dead ruffed grouse.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen