grouse

noun

1. (countable)Any of various game birds of the subfamily Tetraoninae which inhabit temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere; specifically, the red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scotica) native to heather moorland on the British Isles.

   “Among fowls for the table [of King Henry VIII] are crocards, winders, runners, grows, and peions, but neither Turky or Guiney-fowl.”

   “Looke to 't, young growſe: Ile lay it on, and ſure; / Take 't off who's wull.”

   “The shy black grouse, “with an eye on every feather,” can only thrive in vast, absolutely undisturbed heath and moorlands. Therefore, unfortunately, there are not too many black grouse.”

   “I don’t know whether someone will go to the North Face this year. There you can find pure loneliness. In the base camp, you are only joined by snow grouses. Otherwise, it is extremely quiet, and you have the view of the North Face. You won’t meet anyone at the Kangshung Face too.”

2. (uncountable)The flesh or meat of this bird eaten as food.
3. (informal)A cause for complaint; a grumble.

verb

1. (intransitive)To hunt or shoot grouse.
2. (informal, intransitive)To complain or grumble.

   “If you're cast for fatigue by a sergeant unkind, Don't grouse like a woman, nor crack on, nor blind; Be handy and civil, and then you will find That it's beer for the young British soldier.”

   “Grouse away!" he growled. "If grousin' made a man happy, you'd be the champion."”

adj

1. (Australia, New-Zealand, slang)Excellent.

   “I had a grouse day.”

   “That food was grouse.”

   “Real grouse birthday this. First time he's had a party.”

   “They were the grousest ladies she′d ever met.”

   “Not a question but the gag of Mulder pissing on the ID4 poster was grouse.”