Definition

1. Noun:

   • A type of game bird: A medium to large-sized bird with a plump body and feathered legs, often hunted for sport or food. It belongs to the family Tetraonidae.
   • The flesh of this bird as food: The meat from a grouse, typically cooked by roasting.

2. Verb:

   • To complain or grumble: To express discontent or annoyance about something in a persistent, peevish manner. This is an informal, chiefly British usage.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Bird):

  • We went into the Scottish Highlands to hunt for grouse.
  • The red grouse is a common species found on British moors.

• Noun (Food):

  • For dinner, they served roasted grouse with a berry sauce.

• Verb (To complain):

  • He's always grousing about the weather.
  • "Stop grousing and help me with this," she said.

Advanced Usage

• "To grouse about/at someone/something": This is the typical structure for the verb, meaning to complain persistently about a specific subject.
  • The employees groused about the new overtime policy.
  • She groused at her brother for being late.

Variants and Related Words

• Grouser (noun): A person who habitually grumbles or complains.

  • He's a bit of an old grouser, never happy with anything.

• Grouchy (adjective): Bad-tempered and inclined to complain. (Note: This is a related adjective form, but it is a distinct word).

  • She's always grouchy before her morning coffee.

Synonyms

• Noun (Bird): Game bird, ptarmigan (a specific type of grouse).
• Verb (Complain): Grumble, moan, whine, gripe, beef (slang), whinge (chiefly British).

Related Phrases

• "To have a grouse" (noun, informal): To have a complaint or grievance.
  • He came to see the manager to have a grouse about the service.

Idioms

• "Old grouse": A colloquial term for a person who is frequently in a bad mood or complains often.
  • Don't mind him, he's just an old grouse.

Noun

1. popular game bird having a plump body and feathered legs and feet
2. flesh of any of various grouse of the family Tetraonidae; usually roasted; flesh too dry to broil

Verb

1. complain
   • What was he hollering about?
2. hunt grouse