muzzle
UK[ˈmʌz(ə)l]US[ˈmʌz(ə)l]
n
The projecting part of an animal's face, including the nose and mouth.
n
A guard made of straps or wire fitted over an animal's nose and mouth to stop it from biting or eating.
v
To put a muzzle on an animal.
v
To prevent someone from expressing their opinions or ideas freely.
Etymology
The word 'muzzle' entered Middle English in the late 14th century from the Old French 'musel', which itself derived from the Medieval Latin 'musellum', a diminutive of 'musum', meaning 'snout' or 'muzzle'. The ultimate origin is obscure but may be linked to a hypothetical Vulgar Latin term for 'snout'. The semantic journey is direct, maintaining the core meaning of an animal's projecting mouth and nose parts. By the early 15th century, it extended to the device placed over that part for restraint, and by the 17th century, the verb form developed, figuratively applying the concept of restraint to speech and expression.
Analysis
The word 'muzzle' is a simplex word of uncertain origin, likely from Old French 'musel' or Medieval Latin 'musellum', meaning 'snout' or 'muzzle'. Its functional role is as a complete lexical unit.
Examples
The dog's muzzle was wet from sniffing the ground.
For safety, the aggressive dog must wear a muzzle at the vet.
The authoritarian regime attempted to muzzle the free press.