grizzle

See also: Grizzle

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹɪzəl/

  • Audio (General Australian):

    (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹɪzəl/, /ˈɡɹɪzl̩/

  • Audio (General American):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪzəl

Etymology 1

From Middle English grisel, gryselle, from Old French grisel, from gris (“grey”), from Frankish *grīs, from Proto-Germanic *grīsaz.

Noun

grizzle (plural grizzles)

1. A dark grey colour.

   grizzle:  

2. Grey hair.
3. A grey wig.

Related terms

• grizzly

Translations

Grey hair, grey wig

• Arabic: شَيْب (ar) m (šayb)
• Bulgarian: сива коса f (siva kosa), сива перука f (siva peruka)

See also

• gristle (not to be confused with)

Adjective

grizzle

1. Of a grey colour.

Verb

grizzle (third-person singular simple present grizzles, present participle grizzling, simple past and past participle grizzled)

1. To make or become grey, as with age.
   • R. F. Burton

     hardship of the way such as would grizzle little children

   • Pall Mall Magazine

     I found myself on the Nubian desert shaking hands with a grizzling man whom men addressed as Collins Bey.

Translations

To make or become grey, as with age.

• Bulgarian: посивявам (posivjavam)
• Dutch: vergrijzen (nl)

Etymology 2

From English West Country dialect.

Verb

grizzle (third-person singular simple present grizzles, present participle grizzling, simple past and past participle grizzled)

1. to cry continuously but not very loudly - especially of a young child.
2. (UK, Australia, New Zealand, slang) To whinge or whine.
   • 1888, W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan, composer, The Yeomen of the Guard […] , London: Chappel & Co., […], published c. 1911:

     [Wilfred:] In tears, eh? What a plague art thou grizzling for now?

   • 1976, New Zealand House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates‎^[1], page 4850:

     R. J. Tizard — What are you grizzling about now?

   • 2009, Judy Waite, Game Girls, unnumbered page:

     The pin-thin girl is grizzling, whining that she has sand in her eyes.

3. (UK, Australia, New Zealand, slang) To fuss or cry
   • 1990, The Baby Book, →ISBN, page 88:

     New mothers frequently complain that their partner won't get up to change a wet nappy or comfort a grizzling baby.

Related terms

• grizzler

Translations

to cry continuously but not very loudly - especially of a young child

• Bulgarian: хленча (bg) (hlenča)
• Finnish: kitistä (fi)
• Maori: whakakurepe, tangimeme

See also

• Appendix:Colors