muzzle

/ˈmʌzəl/
noun
  1. The nose and mouth of an animal, especially a dog or horse.
    • The puppy's muzzle was covered in mud after digging in the yard.
    • The dog's muzzle was wet from drinking water.
    • She gently patted the horse's soft muzzle.
  2. A device placed over an animal's mouth to prevent it from biting or eating.
    • The vet put a muzzle on the scared dog before the examination.
    • Some cities require dogs to wear a muzzle in public places.
    • The trainer used a muzzle to keep the wolf safe during the checkup.
  3. The open end of a gun barrel where the bullet comes out.
    • He cleaned the muzzle of the rifle after target practice.
    • Smoke poured from the muzzle after the shot was fired.
    • The cannon's muzzle was aimed toward the open sea.
Synonyms
verb
  1. To put a muzzle on an animal to prevent it from biting or eating.
    • The owner muzzled the aggressive dog before taking it for a walk.
    • You should muzzle your pet if it tends to bite strangers.
    • The law requires owners to muzzle certain breeds in public.
  2. To prevent someone from expressing their opinions or ideas freely.
    • Activists accused the school of trying to muzzle student speech.
    • She felt that the company's rules muzzled her creativity.
    • The government tried to muzzle the press by passing strict laws.
Synonyms
Antonyms
What does "muzzle" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean