l]
noun, verb, -zled, -zling.| 1. | the mouth, or end for discharge, of the barrel of a gun, pistol, etc. |
| 2. | the projecting part of the head of an animal, including jaws, mouth, and nose. |
| 3. | a device, usually an arrangement of straps or wires, placed over an animal's mouth to prevent the animal from biting, eating, etc. |
| 4. | to put a muzzle on (an animal or its mouth) so as to prevent biting, eating, etc. |
| 5. | to restrain from speech, the expression of opinion, etc.: The censors muzzled the press. |
| 6. | 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. |

Muzzle
Grain in the East is usually thrashed by the sheaves being spread out on a floor, over which oxen and cattle are driven to and fro, till the grain is trodden out. Moses ordained that the ox was not to be muzzled while thrashing. It was to be allowed to eat both the grain and the straw (Deut. 25:4). (See AGRICULTURE.)