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growl

 - 3 dictionary results

growl

  [groul]
Use growl in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to utter a deep guttural sound of anger or hostility: The dog growled at the mail carrier.
2. to murmur or complain angrily; grumble.
3. to rumble: The thunder growled.
4. Jazz. to use flutter-tonguing in playing a wind instrument.
–verb (used with object)
5. to express by growling.
–noun
6. the act or sound of growling.
7. Jazz. the technique of flutter-tonguing.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME groule to rumble (said of the bowels); c. G grollen

Related forms:
growl⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
2. See complain.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To growl
growl   (groul)   
n.  

  1. The low, guttural, menacing sound made by an animal: the growl of a dog.

  2. A gruff surly utterance: The desk officer answered my greeting with a growl.

v.   growled, growl·ing, growls

v.   intr.

  1. To emit a low guttural sound or utterance.

  2. To speak in an angry or surly manner.

v.   tr.
To utter by growling: growled the orders.

[Middle English groule, grollen, to rumble, growl, probably from Old French grouler, of Germanic origin.]
growl'y adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

growl  (v.)
1667, from M.E. grolling "rumbling in the bowels" (c.1380), from O.Fr. grouler "to rumble," said to be from Frank., probably ult. of imitative origin.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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