grunt
/grʌnt/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A low, short, guttural sound: A brief, deep, often gruff noise typically made by animals like pigs or by humans to express effort, dissatisfaction, or reluctant agreement.
- A type of fish: A medium-sized tropical marine fish known for making grunting sounds when caught.
- An unskilled or low-ranking worker/soldier: (Informal, often derogatory) A person performing basic, labor-intensive tasks, especially a U.S. infantry soldier during the Vietnam War.
Verb:
- To make a low, short, guttural sound: To utter a brief, deep noise, often expressing physical strain, discontent, or minimal verbal response.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- The only sound from the pigpen was a contented grunt.
- He ordered the grilled grunt with lemon butter.
- He started his career as a grunt in the mailroom.
Verb:
- He didn't answer, he just grunted and continued reading.
- She grunted as she lifted the heavy box.
Advanced Usage
- "to grunt out": To say something with a grunt or in a gruff, reluctant manner.
- He grunted out a vague apology and walked away.
Variants and Related Words
- Grunt work (noun phrase): Tedious, routine, or menial work.
- The interns were assigned all the grunt work.
Synonyms
- Noun (sound): Groan, snort.
- Noun (worker): Drudge, peon, foot soldier.
- Verb: Groan, snort, mutter.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Grunt out: (See "Advanced Usage" above).
Related Idioms
- No idiom directly and exclusively formed with the single word "grunt" is common. The informal term "grunt" for a soldier or laborer is itself a metaphorical idiom.
Noun
- medium-sized tropical marine food fishes that utter grunting sounds when caught
- an unskilled or low-ranking soldier or other worker
- infantrymen in Vietnam were called grunts
- he went from grunt to chairman in six years
- the short low gruff noise of the kind made by hogs
Verb
- issue a grunting, low, animal-like noise
- He grunted his reluctant approval