muzzle

[ muhz-uhl ]

/ ˈmʌz əl /

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See synonyms for: muzzle / muzzled on Thesaurus.com

noun

the mouth, or end for discharge, of the barrel of a gun, pistol, etc.

the projecting part of the head of an animal, including jaws, mouth, and nose.

a device, usually an arrangement of straps or wires, placed over an animal's mouth to prevent the animal from biting, eating, etc.

verb (used with object), muz·zled, muz·zling.

to put a muzzle on (an animal or its mouth) so as to prevent biting, eating, etc.

to restrain from speech, the expression of opinion, etc.: The censors muzzled the press.

Nautical. to attach the cable to the stock of (an anchor) by means of a light line to permit the anchor to be pulled loose readily.

OTHER WORDS FOR muzzle

5 silence, quiet, still, suppress.

See synonyms for muzzle on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of muzzle

1350–1400; Middle English musel<Middle French <Medieval Latin mūsellum, diminutive of mūsum snout < ?

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use muzzle in a sentence

Consider your dog When a sled dog camps, he sometimes curls up on a straw bed in the snow, furry tail covering his muzzle.
Winter camping is not for the faint of heart. Here’s how to do it.|Melanie D.G. Kaplan|November 6, 2020|Washington Post
Troops are on the streets, the media is muzzled, and the already weak caretaker government has been further marginalized.
Thailand’s Non-Coup Coup|Lennox Samuels|May 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She had thought it legal as the greyhounds were muzzled and the magistrate gave her an absolute discharge.
The Week in Death: Clarissa Dickson Wright, One of ‘Two Fat Ladies’|The Telegraph|March 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rather than emerging as a full-fledged personality, he did few national interviews and seemed muzzled by the Romney team.
Why Paul Ryan’s Star Dimmed|Howard Kurtz|March 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Released but not free, the famed Chinese artist is out of jail but muzzled and constrained by the government.
Ai Weiwei Comes Home|Melinda Liu, Isaac Stone Fish|June 23, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The reaper must leave something for the gleaner; even the ox cannot be muzzled as he treadeth out the corn.
Great Men and Famous Women. Vol. 3 of 8|Various
It was a large savage animal, and was always kept muzzled at home.
Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents and Strange Events|S. Baring-Gould
She is a good girl—as good as God makes them; her wits as yet a bit muzzled by the custom of Friends.
The Red City|S. Weir Mitchell
The Orange societies required to be placated, the Presbyterians to be muzzled, the Catholics to be suppressed.
The Evolution of Sinn Fein|Robert Mitchell Henry
Other lacqueys led large stag-hounds, or wolf-dogs, of noble race, carefully muzzled to prevent accidents to passengers.
The Abbot|Sir Walter Scott

British Dictionary definitions for muzzle

muzzle

/ (ˈmʌzəl) /

noun

the projecting part of the face, usually the jaws and nose, of animals such as the dog and horse

a guard or strap fitted over an animal's nose and jaws to prevent it biting or eating

the front end of a gun barrel

verb (tr)

to prevent from being heard or noticedto muzzle the press

to put a muzzle on (an animal)

to take in (a sail)

Derived forms of muzzle

muzzler, noun

Word Origin for muzzle

C15 mosel, from Old French musel, diminutive of muse snout, from Medieval Latin mūsus, of unknown 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

muzzle

OTHER WORDS FOR muzzle

Origin of muzzle

Words related to muzzle

How to use muzzle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for muzzle

Derived forms of muzzle

Word Origin for muzzle