Link Centre Dictionary

grin

UK/ɡɹɪn/ US/ˈɡrɪn/ fairly common

verb

1.

to draw back the lips and reveal the teeth, in a smile, grimace, or snarl

noun

1.

Origin

From Middle English grin, grinne, grine, from Old English grin (“snare, noose”), of uncertain origin, but probably from the merger of Proto-West Germanic *garni and *garnī (“intestine”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *garniz, *garnō (“guts, intestine”). Related to English yarn.

Phrases

  • grin and bear it
  • grin from ear to ear
  • grin like a Cheshire cat
  • grin like a mule eating briars
  • pickin' and grinnin'
  • picking and grinning
  • shit-eating grin
  • skin and grin

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.