Muzzle (noun) refers to a guard or harness that covers an animal’s mouth to prevent biting, or to a device placed over a gun’s end to prevent discharge at unintended targets. It also metaphorically denotes anything that restrains or suppresses speech or action. In everyday use, it often describes equipment for pets or a protective barrier for firearms. The term carries practical, safety-focused connotations across contexts.
"The dog wore a soft muzzle to prevent biting during the vet visit."
"The farmer fitted the muzzle to the fox to prevent it from harming the flock."
"The paparazzi were muzzled by a court order, limiting their coverage."
"The new muzzle design aims to reduce muzzle blast from the rifle."
Muzzle comes from the shortening of the word muzzle from the Old French musele, itself related to musel, meaning ‘snout’ or ‘mouthpiece,’ with roots in Latin musulum or musella indicating a small mouse or snout-like projection. Its earliest English attestations appear in the medical and veterinary lexicon from the 14th century, often referring to a protective device for horses’ mouths or dogs’ muzzles. Over time, the sense broadened to include any mouth-covering device used to restrain an animal or to control the discharge of firearms (the muzzle of a gun). The word’s form has remained relatively stable, with -zzle maintaining the hard z sound, emphasizing the consonant cluster that follows the initial m. In modern usage, muzzle also retains metaphorical senses: to muzzle someone is to silence or restrain them, a development that aligns with the device’s function of blocking actions. This evolution reflects practical safety concerns transitioning into figurative language in political and social discourse. First known use in English traces to references in veterinary practice and weaponry, with a steady trajectory into common idiomatic usage by the 19th and 20th centuries.,”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Muzzle" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Muzzle"
-zle sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Say MUZ-zəl with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈməzəl/ in US, UK, and AU. The first vowel is a short, relaxed schwa-like sound before a clear z, then a light, unstressed second syllable with a schwa or reduced vowel. Mouth position: lips neutral to slightly rounded, teeth lightly touching, tip of the tongue near the alveolar ridge for the /z/.
Common errors include turning the /z/ into a voiced continuation like /zə/ too long, producing /ˈmʌzəl/ as in ‘mussel,’ or over-articulating the second syllable with a strong ‘-le’ sound like /-əl/ rather than a reduced vowel. To correct: keep the first syllable crisp with /ˈmɜː/ or /ˈməz/ depending on dialect, then move quickly to the light, unstressed /əl/ in the second syllable. Focus on ending with a short, relaxed schwa or reduced vowel rather than a full eyelash-like vowel.”},{
In US and UK, the word is two syllables with primary stress on first: /ˈməzəl/ or /ˈmʌzəl/ in some dialects. US tends toward a more centralized vowel in the first syllable and a clearer /z/; UK often uses a slightly shorter but still stressed first syllable with a precise /z/. Australian English mirrors UK tendencies but may feature a lighter vowel in the first syllable and a shorter final /əl/. The rhoticity in US doesn’t affect the /z/ here, but vowel quality differences shape the overall timbre of the first syllable.”},{
Key challenge is the short, close-notes vowel in the first syllable and the quick transition to a light, almost schwa-like second syllable. The /z/ requires steady voicing without excessive voicing of the second syllable. For non-native speakers, the subtle vowel reduction in the second syllable combined with a clean alveolar fricative can cause slip-ups, resulting in mishearing as ‘mussel’ or ‘muzzol.’ Practice balance: crisp first syllable, light second, reduced final vowel.
The word contains a clear, single stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one, with a rapid stop after the /z/. It’s easy to misplace the primary stress or emphasize the second syllable. A useful cue is to articulate /ˈməz/ with a strong, short vowel and let the /əl/ glide quietly to the end. Also remember that the /z/ tends to be unvoiced in some speakers when followed by a softened final vowel, so keep the last vowel light and quick.
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