grin

noun

1. A smile in which the lips are parted to reveal the teeth.

   “When the ceremony was finished a wide grin broke across his face, and it was that grin she saw, relieved and happy all at once.”

   “When my son appeared at the door the next day with his schoolbag on his back, the Professor broke into a wide grin and opened his arms to embrace him.”

2. (obsolete)A snare; a gin.

verb

1. (intransitive)To smile, parting the lips so as to show the teeth.

   “Why do you grin? Did I say something funny?”

   “‘No,’ said Luke, grinning at her. ‘You're not dull enough! […] What about the kid's clothes? I don't suppose they were anything to write home about, but didn't you keep anything? A bootee or a bit of embroidery or anything at all?’”

2. (transitive)To express by grinning.

   “She grinned pleasure at his embarrassment.”

   “Grinned horrible a ghastly smile.”

   “"Mid-Lent, and the Enemy grins," remarked Selwyn as he started for church with Nina and the children. Austin, knee-deep in a dozen Sunday supplements, refused to stir; poor little Eileen was now convalescent from grippe, but still unsteady on her legs; her maid had taken the grippe, and now moaned all day: "Mon dieu! Mon dieu! Che fais mourir!"”

3. (dated, intransitive)To show the teeth, like a snarling dog.

   “The pangs of death do make him grin.”

   “They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too.”

4. (transitive)To grin as part of producing a particular facial expression, such as a smile or sneer.

   “He grinned a broad smile when I told him the result.”

   “He grinned a cruel sneer when I begged him to stop.”