English

Noun

grizzle ‎(plural grizzles)

1. A dark grey colour.

   grizzle colour:

2. Grey hair.
3. A grey wig.

Translations

Related terms

• grizzly

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

Etymology 2

From English West Country dialect.^[1]

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. (Britain, Australia, New Zealand, slang) To whinge or whine.
   • 1888, William S. Gilbert (librettist), The Yeomen of the Guard, The Complete Plays of Gilbert and Sullivan, page 510,

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

   • 1976, New Zealand House of Representatives, Parliamentary Debates, 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. (Britain, Australia, New Zealand, slang) To fuss or cry
   • 1990, The Baby Book, ISBN 094989267X, page 88:

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

Translations

Related terms

• grizzler

See also

• Appendix:Colors

References

1. ↑ 2010, Alex Games, Balderdash & Piffle: English Words and Their Curious Origins, page 135.