grunt en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ɡɹʌnt/
- /ɡɹʊnt/ (Northern-England)
Etymology
From Middle English grunten, from Old English grunnettan (“to grunt”), from Proto-West Germanic *grunnattjan, from Proto-Germanic *grunnatjaną (“to grunt”), frequentative of Proto-Germanic *grunnōną (“to grunt”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrun- (“to shout”). Cognate with German grunzen (“to grunt”), Danish grynte (“to grunt”). The noun senses are all instances of zero derivation from the verb.
Meanings
-
A short snorting sound, often to show disapproval, or used as a reply when one is reluctant to speak.
The stranger, with a comfortable kind of grunt over his pipe, put his legs up on the settle that he had to himself.
1861, Charles Dickens, Great Expectations, Chapter X:
- The snorting cry of a pig.
- Any fish of the perciform family Haemulidae.
- A person who does ordinary and boring work.
-
(US, slang) An infantry soldier.
The events described are those encountered by only 160 men, though the adversity recounted is representative of that experienced by all grunts in Vietnam.
1984, Charles Robert Anderson, The Grunts, Berkley Books, →ISBN, page xii:He can't make that kind of decision. He's just a grunt!
1986, James Cameron, Aliens, spoken by Burke (Paul Reiser):The poges stare at the grunts as though the grunts were Hell's Angels at the ballet.
1979, Gustav Hasford, The Short-Timers, New York: Bantam Books, published 1980, →ISBN, page 39:
-
(slang) The amount of power of which a vehicle is capable.
The engine might not possess quite as much grunt as the later 24v six, but it delivers invigorating performance […]
1992, Autocar & Motor, volume 192, page 61:With this much grunt, it is surprising that the engine is relatively quiet.
2006 February, Torque, page 56:The lack of bottom-end grunt presents as a particular problem in hilly terrain where the five-speed manual gearbox really earns its keep.
2021 February 14, The Road Ahead, Brisbane, page 55, column 2:
- (Canada, US) A dessert of steamed berries and dough, usually blueberries; blueberry grunt.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| grunts | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
Margaret grunt · grungy · grunt-level · gruntling · gruntlike · margate grunt · grunt-horn · grunt work · gruntspeak · gruntulous · death grunt · grunt level · gruntometer · grunt boy
Synonyms
fungee · lackey · peon · fungy · gofer
Translations (89)
cs zachrochtání (cry of a pig) · de Hiwi (a person who does ordinary and boring work) · ro putere ((slang) the amount of power of which a vehicle is capable) · de Grunzer (fish of the family Haemulidae) · bg сумтене (short, snorting sound) · es ronco (fish of the family Haemulidae) · es burro (fish of the family Haemulidae) · el γρύλισμα (cry of a pig) · ca gruny (cry of a pig) · mi horuhoru (short, snorting sound) · ro mormăit (short, snorting sound) · sv grymtning (cry of a pig) · tl gonggong (fish of the family Haemulidae) · pl chrząknięcie (short, snorting sound) · gl cuincho (short, snorting sound) · pt grunido (short, snorting sound) · nl grom (short, snorting sound) · tr homurtu (short, snorting sound) · ru ворча́ние (short, snorting sound) · io gruno (cry of a pig) · gl greñido (short, snorting sound) · de Grunzer (short, snorting sound) · ro groh (short, snorting sound) · fr griveton (an infantry soldier) · ota اوفكه (short, snorting sound) · de Hucker (a person who does ordinary and boring work) · cs zavrčení (short, snorting sound) · da fnys (short, snorting sound) · el γρυλλισμός (short, snorting sound) · es currito (a person who does ordinary and boring work) · sv hantlangare (a person who does ordinary and boring work) · hu röfög (short, snorting sound) · he רַגְלִי (an infantry soldier) · es gruñido (short, snorting sound) · ru бурча́ние (short, snorting sound) · tr homurdanma (short, snorting sound) · ru хрю́канье (cry of a pig) · fr troufion (an infantry soldier) · bg мощност ((slang) the amount of power of which a vehicle is capable) · el γρύλισμα (short, snorting sound) · da grynt (cry of a pig) · sv grymtning (short, snorting sound) · gl cuiña (short, snorting sound) · cs zabručení (short, snorting sound) · fr bidasse (an infantry soldier) · gl guinco (short, snorting sound) · la grunnītus (cry of a pig) · gl cuincho (cry of a pig) · da fodtusse (an infantry soldier) · pt grunido (cry of a pig) · de Frontschwein (an infantry soldier) · hu röfögés (cry of a pig) · de Handlanger (a person who does ordinary and boring work) · la grunnītus (short, snorting sound) · bg грухтене (cry of a pig) · el γρυλισμός (short, snorting sound) · cs chrochtání (cry of a pig) · fr grognement (short, snorting sound) · ga gnúsacht (short, snorting sound) · mi ngō (cry of a pig) · el ανειδίκευτος εργάτης (a person who does ordinary and boring work) · de Grunzen (cry of a pig) · vi (cá) sạo (fish of the family Haemulidae) · mi horuhoru (cry of a pig) · el γρυλισμός (cry of a pig) · de Hilfsarbeiter (a person who does ordinary and boring work) · de Ungelernter (a person who does ordinary and boring work) · fi nurmipora (an infantry soldier) · es machaca (an infantry soldier) · mi horu (short, snorting sound) · de Stöhnen (short, snorting sound) · fi murisija (fish of the family Haemulidae) · el γρυλλισμός (cry of a pig) · pl chrumkanie (cry of a pig) · de Pfeffer ((slang) the amount of power of which a vehicle is capable) · nl knor (cry of a pig) · eu kurrinka (cry of a pig) · de Wumms ((slang) the amount of power of which a vehicle is capable) · it grugnito (short, snorting sound) · gl cuiña (cry of a pig) · gl gorlido (short, snorting sound) · ro mârâit (short, snorting sound) · de Landser (an infantry soldier) · fi murahdus (short, snorting sound) · it grugnito (cry of a pig) · sv grymtfisk (fish of the family Haemulidae) · fi röhkäisy (cry of a pig) · ro grohăit (cry of a pig) · io gruno (short, snorting sound)