muzzle

noun
UK: /ˈmʌzl/
US: /ˈmʌzl/

  1. A covering put over an animal's nose and mouth to prevent it from biting or eating.

    1. The dog has to wear a muzzle outside.
    2. The law requires all dogs of that breed to wear a muzzle in public places.

  2. The projecting part of an animal's face, including the nose and mouth.

    1. The horse nuzzled my hand with its soft muzzle.
    2. She gently stroked the dog's muzzle, calming its anxieties before the vet visit.

  3. The open end of a gun barrel.

    1. Never point the muzzle at anything you don't intend to shoot.
    2. He carefully cleaned the muzzle of his rifle after target practice at the range.

Synonyms

gag silence censor suppress restrain
muzzle verb

  1. To put a muzzle on an animal.

    1. We had to muzzle the dog.
    2. The trainer had to muzzle the aggressive dog before bringing it into the ring.

  2. To prevent someone from expressing their opinions or ideas freely.

    1. The dictator tried to muzzle the press.
    2. The government's attempts to muzzle dissenting voices sparked widespread protests.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "muzzle" in English means: A covering put over an animal's nose and mouth to prevent it from biting or eating., The projecting part of an animal's face, including the nose and mouth., The open end of a gun barrel..

The phonetic transcription of "muzzle" is /ˈmʌzl/ in British English and /ˈmʌzl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "muzzle": gag, silence, censor, suppress, restrain.

Example usage of "muzzle": "The dog has to wear a muzzle outside.". More examples on the page.