Grins

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ɡɹɪnz/

Definitions

1. Displays a broad smile, often showing teeth ; communicates pleasure or humor by smiling widely
2. Forms a wide grin with the mouth, typically revealing teeth ; conveys delight or amusement through facial expression
3. Reveals a cheerful smile extending across the face ; indicates joy or laughter by flashing a smile

Etymology: "Grins" is the third-person singular present of the verb "grin," so the history belongs to that verb. Its root meaning is rougher than the modern smile: Old English "grennian" meant to snarl or show the teeth, and its relatives in other Germanic languages carry senses of muttering, complaining, and baring the teeth in laughter. The sound is tied to the bared teeth and the strained, grimacing face that goes with them. A second, unrelated "grin" also fed into English. It came from Old English "grin," meaning a snare or noose, which probably merged with a Germanic word for intestines, and the two form a curious pair. The noose sense is the source of the English word's older associations with being caught, and the modern verb grew out of the Old English "grennian" rather than from that snare.

Synonyms: smiles, beam, grins broadly, smirks, grins widely

Antonyms: frowns, scowls, glowers, mopes, pouts