subs. (common).—1. The mouth.
1821. The Fancy, Vol. I. p. 260. He … got hit anywhere and everywhere, about the MUZZLE particularly.
1828. BADCOCK (‘Jon Bee’), Living Picture of London, p. 113. Barbers … having nought more in view than to plenish the MUZZLES of bristly handicraftsmen.
1836. M. SCOTT, Tom Cringle’s Log, xiii. With which the worthy lady painted our friend’s face and MUZZLE in a most ludicrous manner.
2. (old).—A beard.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
Verb. (pugilistic).—1. To strike in the mouth.
1851–61. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, I. 233. Razor George and his moll slept here the day afore Christmas; just out of ‘stir’ (jail), for MUZZLING a peeler.
2. (common).—To drink.
3. (old).—To kiss. Cf. MOUSLE.
1697. VANBRUGH, The Relapse, i. 2. Ah, you young, hot, lusty thief, let me MUZZLE you. (Kisses him).
