Grin Once Meant to Bare the Teeth in Anger
A grin is a broad smile. The Old English word described a snarl, not friendliness.
To grin is to smile broadly, showing the teeth. Old English *grennian* meant to bare the teeth in anger or pain — a snarl, not a smile. The friendly sense developed only in the 1400s, and traces of the older meaning survive in *grin and bear it*, which is about enduring, and in a *grim* grin. *Grin like a Cheshire cat* is recorded before Lewis Carroll, who took an existing phrase whose own origin is unknown.
- A broad smile. *A wide grin.*
- To bare the teeth (archaic). *Grennian.*
- Grin and bear it — endure. *Grin and bear it.*
- Cheshire cat grin. *A Cheshire cat grin.*
- Old English — *grennian*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | grin | Grinning. |
| Noun | grin | A grin. |
| Past | grinned | Grinned. |
| Related | groan | To groan. |
| Old English | grennian | To bare the teeth. |
- He grinned at the news.Smile.
- Just grin and bear it.Idiom.
- It first meant to snarl.Etymology.
Words that became friendlier
- Grin — from a snarl to a smile
- Nice — from ignorant to pleasant
- Pretty — from cunning to attractive
- Fond — from foolish to affectionate
- Most words drift the other way, growing harsher
Old English *grennian*, to bare the teeth, of Germanic origin, related to German *greinen*.
Did grin always mean a smile?
No. Old English grennian meant baring the teeth in anger or pain. The friendly sense developed in the 1400s.
Did Lewis Carroll invent grinning like a Cheshire cat?
No. The phrase was already in use before Alice in Wonderland, though its own origin remains unknown.