grimace en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- grĭm'-əs (UK)
- /ɡɹɪˈmeɪs/ (US, rare)
- grĭ-mās' (UK)
- grĭ-mās' (US)
- /ˈɡɹɪm.əs/ (UK)
- /ˈɡɹɪm.əs/ (US)
- grĭm'-əs (US)
- /ɡɹɪˈmeɪs/ (UK, archaic)
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.
Meanings
-
A contorted facial expression, often expressing contempt or pain.
I trundle off to bed, eyes brimming, face twisted into a grateful glistening grimace, and awaken the next day wondering what all the fuss was about.
2005 March, Opera News:Her face was twisted in a grimace of disgust.
-
(obsolete) Affectation, pretence.
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 […].
1789, John Moore, Zeluco, Valancourt, published 2008, page 105:Charlotte was equally insensible to all his fashionable grimace, and indifferent to his conversation.
1790, Helen Maria Williams, Julia, Routledge, published 2016, page 21:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| grimaces | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Translations (42)
gl aceno (a distortion of the face) · izh irvissös (a distortion of the face) · lb Grimass (a distortion of the face) · es mueca (a distortion of the face) · sv grimas (a distortion of the face) · da grimasse (a distortion of the face) · pt esgar (a distortion of the face) · ro strâmbătură (a distortion of the face) · ka გრიმასა (a distortion of the face) · ga gramhas (a distortion of the face) · ga cár (a distortion of the face) · ro grimasă (a distortion of the face) · ca ganyota (a distortion of the face) · bg гримаса (a distortion of the face) · hu grimasz (a distortion of the face) · no grimase (a distortion of the face) · cmn 鬼臉 /鬼脸 (a distortion of the face) · mr चर्या विरूपता (a distortion of the face) · es mohín (a distortion of the face) · ga scaimh (a distortion of the face) · it smorfia (a distortion of the face) · ru грима́са (a distortion of the face) · fr grimace (a distortion of the face) · ga strabhas (a distortion of the face) · eo grimaco (a distortion of the face) · de Grimasse (a distortion of the face) · ga strainc (a distortion of the face) · es regaño (a distortion of the face) · la sanna (a distortion of the face) · cmn 怪相 (a distortion of the face) · ru ужи́мка (a distortion of the face) · ga grainc (a distortion of the face) · gl moca (a distortion of the face) · pl grymas (a distortion of the face) · es mohíno (a distortion of the face) · el μορφασμός (a distortion of the face) · pt careta (a distortion of the face) · rup strãmbãturã (a distortion of the face) · ja しかめっ面 (a distortion of the face) · nl grimas (a distortion of the face) · fi irvistys (a distortion of the face) · sv grimasch (a distortion of the face)