Grimace
/ˈɡɹɪm.əs/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A contorted facial expression, often expressing contempt or pain.
"Her face was twisted in a grimace of disgust."
- 2 a contorted facial expression wordnet
- 3 Affectation, pretence. obsolete
"Zeluco considered all this as mere affectation and grimace, and was convinced that she would, in due time, unfold the particular mode in which she wished to be indemnified […]."
Verb
- 1 To make grimaces; to distort one's face; to make faces. intransitive
- 2 contort the face to indicate a certain mental or emotional state wordnet
Example
More examples"Four-year-old Sam begrudgingly ate his broccoli with a grimace on his face."
Etymology
From French grimace, from Middle French grimace, from Old French grimace, grimuche, from grime (“mask”) (with the pejorative suffix -ace, from Latin -āceus), from Frankish *grīma, *grīmō (“mask”), from Proto-Germanic *grīmô (“mask, helmet”). Cognate with Old English grīma (“mask, visor, helmet, spectre, apparition”). More at grime.