grunt Hear it!

grunt definition

grunt (grunt)

intransitive verb

  1. to make the short, deep, hoarse sound of a hog
  2. to make a sound like this, as in annoyance, contempt, effort, etc.

Etymology: ME grunten < OE grunnettan (akin to Ger grunzen), freq. of grunian, to grunt < IE *gru-, echoic > L grunnire

transitive verb

to express by grunting to grunt one's disapproval

noun

  1. the sound made in grunting
  2. any of a family (Haemulidae) of marine percoid fishes that grunt when removed from water
  3. Slang
    1. a U.S. infantryman, orig. in the war in Vietnam
    2. any person having or performing a low-prestige job involving routine tasks, strenuous labor, etc.

adjective

of, for, or done by a grunt grunt work

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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