grouse
grouse Lexical Profile
grouse Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A medium to large game bird of the family Phasianidae, characterized by a plump body and feathered legs, native to temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
"The hunters set out early in the morning, hoping to spot a red grouse in the Scottish heather."
A persistent complaint or grievance, often regarding something trivial.
"His main grouse about the new office was that the coffee machine was too far from his desk."
• verb
To complain, grumble, or express dissatisfaction persistently about trivial matters.
"She spent the entire journey grousing about the legroom on the airplane."
To hunt for grouse.
"Every autumn, he travels to the moors of Yorkshire to go grousing with his friends."
• adjective
Australian Exceptionally good, excellent, or outstanding.
"We had a grouse time at the beach yesterday despite the chilly wind."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the bird, the plural is typically unchanged ('grouse'); however, when referring to a complaint, the plural takes the standard 's' ('grouses'). As an adjective, it is strictly Australian slang.
• Rhymes for grouse
Word Origin & Etymology
The word has multiple unconnected origins. The bird (early 16th century) is of uncertain origin, possibly from Medieval Latin 'gruta'. The verb meaning to complain (late 19th century) originated as British army slang, perhaps related to the Old French 'groucier' (to grumble). The Australian adjective (1920s) is of unknown origin.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.