Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense grins, present participle grinning, past tense, past participle grinned
1. verb
When you grin, you smile broadly.
He grins, delighted at the memory. [VERB]
Sarah tried several times to catch Philip's eye, but he just grinned at her. [VERB + at]
I'll never forget his evil grinning face staring at me. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: smile, beam More Synonyms of grin
2. countable noun [oft adjective NOUN]
A grin is a broad smile.
She came out of his office with a big grin on her face.
Bobby looked at her with a sheepish grin.
Synonyms: smile, beam More Synonyms of grin
3.
See to grin and bear it
grin in British English
(ɡrɪn)
verbWord forms: grins, grinning or grinned
1.
to smile with the lips drawn back revealing the teeth or express (something) by such a smile
to grin a welcome
2. (intransitive)
to draw back the lips revealing the teeth, as in a snarl or grimace
3. grin and bear it
noun
4.
a broad smile
5.
a snarl or grimace
Derived forms
grinner (ˈgrinner)
noun
grinning (ˈgrinning)
adjective, noun
Word origin
Old English grennian; related to Old High German grennen to snarl, Old Norse grenja to howl; see grunt
grin in American English
(grɪn)
verb intransitiveWord forms: grinned or ˈgrinning
1.
to smile broadly as in amusement or pleasure, or, sometimes, in embarrassment
2.
to draw back the lips and show the teeth in pain, scorn, etc.
verb transitive
3.
to express by grinning
noun
4.
the act or look of one who grins
Idioms:
grin and bear it
Derived forms
grinner (ˈgrinner)
noun
grinningly (ˈgrinningly)
adverb
Word origin
ME grennen < OE grennian, to gnash or bare the teeth, akin to OHG grennan, to mutter, Ger greinen, to weep
More idioms containing
grin
grin and bear it
grin from ear to ear
grin like a Cheshire cat
Examples of 'grin' in a sentence
grin
You can actually hear her saying it with a huge grin on her face.
The Sun (2015)
When no one else was around she would open her eyes and grin at me.
The Sun (2012)
We parents just need to grin and bear it.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
She came back with a broad grin on her face.
Jan Fennell FRIENDS FOR LIFE (2003)
They may well be prepared to grin and bear that troublesome hip for just a little longer.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Usually of them lying on my side of the bed with knowing grins on their faces.
The Sun (2013)
They both had huge grins on their faces.
The Sun (2016)
The shine had gone from his eyes and his grin had vanished.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He took the stem of the pipe from his mouth and gave me a broad grin.
John Cornwell Seminary Boy (2006)
So we have no choice but to grin and bear it?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
That must explain the huge grin on his face.
The Sun (2009)
The man across the way catches my eye and grins.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He then sat back and grinned.
The Sun (2013)
He was lying on his back with his mouth open, grinning from ear to ear.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
There were smug grins, expectant smiles.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Again the crowd cheered, delighted grins plastered all over famous faces.
The Sun (2015)
When he sank his birdie putt, he pumped his fist to himself and grinned broadly.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Instead, the government is beginning to grin rather broadly.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He grins and he grimaces.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He smiled a mischievous grin as we watched it together and I pressed him further.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
grin
British English: grin /ɡrɪn/ NOUN
A grin is a broad smile.
She had a big grin on her face.
American English: grin
Arabic: ابْتِسامَة عَريضَة
Brazilian Portuguese: sorriso largo
Chinese: 露齿笑
Croatian: osmijeh
Czech: škleb
Danish: grin
Dutch: grijns
European Spanish: sonrisa burlona
Finnish: virnistys
French: sourire
German: Grinsen
Greek: πλατύ χαμόγελο
Italian: ghigno
Japanese: にこにこ笑い
Korean: 싱긋 웃음
Norwegian: glis smil
Polish: grymas
European Portuguese: sorriso rasgado
Romanian: rânjet
Russian: усмешка
Latin American Spanish: amplia sonrisa
Swedish: flin
Thai: การยิ้มอย่างเปิดเผย
Turkish: sırıtış
Ukrainian: усмішка
Vietnamese: miệng cười toe toét
British English: grin /ɡrɪn/ VERB
When you grin, you smile broadly.
He grins, delighted at the memory.
American English: grin
Arabic: يَبْتَسِم ابْتِسامَة عَريضَة
Brazilian Portuguese: sorrir arreganhando
Chinese: 露齿而笑
Croatian: smiješiti se
Czech: zubit se
Danish: grine
Dutch: grijnzen
European Spanish: sonreír burla
Finnish: virnistää
French: sourire
German: grinsen
Greek: χαμογελώ ειρωνικά
Italian: sorridere
Japanese: 歯を見せてにっこり笑う
Korean: 싱긋 웃다
Norwegian: flire
Polish: uśmiechnąć się szeroko
European Portuguese: sorrir arreganhando
Romanian: a rânji
Russian: ухмыляться
Latin American Spanish: sonreír
Swedish: flina
Thai: ยิ้มยิงฟัน
Turkish: sırıtmak
Ukrainian: посміхатися
Vietnamese: cười toe toét
All related terms of 'grin'
grin and bear it
to have to accept a difficult situation because there is nothing that you can do about it
shit-eating grin
a sly , knowing, or self-satisfied grin
to grin and bear it
If you grin and bear it , you accept a difficult or unpleasant situation without complaining because you know there is nothing you can do to make things better .
grin from ear to ear
to look very happy
grin like a Cheshire cat
to do a big smile , often because you are pleased with yourself
to wipe the smile off someone's face wipe the grin/smirk off sb's face
If you say that something wipes the smile off someone's face , you mean that it suddenly spoils their enjoyment or removes an advantage that they had and that you are pleased about it.
Chinese translation of 'grin'
grin
(ɡrɪn)
n(c)
(= smile) 露齿(齒)的笑 (lùchǐ de xiào) (种(種), zhǒng)
vi
露齿(齒)而笑 (lùchǐ ér xiào)
to grin and bear it逆来(來)顺(順)受 (nì lái shùn shòu)
(verb)
Definition
to smile broadly, showing one's teeth
He grinned, delighted at the memory.
Synonyms
smile
He smiled and waved.
beam
She beamed at her friend with undisguised admiration.
(noun)
Definition
a broad smile
She had a big grin on her face.
Synonyms
smile
She gave a wry smile.
beam
She knew he had news, because of the beam on his face.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of beam
Definition
to smile broadly
She beamed at her friend with undisguised admiration.
Synonyms
smile,
grin,
be all smiles
in the sense of beam
Definition
a broad smile
She knew he had news, because of the beam on his face.