verb (used without object)
1.
to smile broadly, especially as an indication of pleasure, amusement, or the like.
2.
to draw back the lips so as to show the teeth, as a snarling dog or a person in pain.
3.
to show or be exposed through an opening, crevice, etc.
verb (used with object)
4.
to express or produce by grinning: The little boy grinned his approval of the gift.
noun
5.
a broad smile.
6.
the act of producing a broad smile.
7.
the act of withdrawing the lips and showing the teeth, as in anger or pain.
Origin:
before 1000; Middle English grinnen, grennen, Old English grennian; cognate with Old High German grennan to mutter
before 1000; Middle English grinnen, grennen, Old English grennian; cognate with Old High German grennan to mutter
Related forms
grin·ner, noun
grin·ning·ly, adverb
00:10
Grin
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is peculate. Does it mean:
| to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about. |
| to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle. |
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To grin
Collins
World English Dictionary
grin (ɡrɪn) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb , grins, grinning, grinned | |
| 1. | to smile with the lips drawn back revealing the teeth or express (something) by such a smile: to grin a welcome |
| 2. | (intr) to draw back the lips revealing the teeth, as in a snarl or grimace |
| 3. | informal grin and bear it to suffer trouble or hardship without complaint |
| —n | |
| 4. | a broad smile |
| 5. | a snarl or grimace |
| [Old English grennian; related to Old High German grennen to snarl, Old Norse grenja to howl; see | |
| 'grinner | |
| —n | |
| 'grinning | |
| —adj, —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
grin
O.E. grennian "show the teeth" (in pain or anger), common Gmc. (cf. O.N. grenja "to howl," grina "to grin;" Du. grienen "to whine;" Ger. greinen "to cry"), from PIE base *ghrei- "be open." Sense of "bare the teeth in a broad smile" is c.1480, perhaps via the notion of "forced or unnatural smile." the
noun is first attested 1635.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
He's almost never without a benign grin, a smile so pearly-white perfect that he could get work in a teeth-bleaching ad.
With a toothy grin and somewhat large head, he has a boyish air.
He spoke not a word, yet he wagged his head with a grin, indicating that he would treat us in the same way.
As he plays, his lips dangling a cigarette, he leans back into his snarling guitar and a joyful grin spreads across his face.
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