Muz"zle (?), n. [OE. mosel, OF. musel, F. museau muzzle or snout, LL. musellus, fr. musus, morsus. See Muse, v. i., and cf. Morsel.]
1.
The projecting mouth and nose of a quadruped, as of a horse; a snout.
2.
The mouth of a thing; the end for entrance or discharge; as, the muzzle of a gun.
3.
A fastening or covering (as a band or cage) for the mouth of an animal, to prevent eating or vicious biting.
With golden muzzles all their mouths were bound
Dryden.
Muzzle sight. Gun. See Dispart, n., 2.
© Webster 1913.
Muz"zle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Muzzled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Muzzling (?).] [F. museler.]
1.
To bind the mouth of; to fasten the mouth of, so as to prevent biting or eating; hence, figuratively, to bind; to sheathe; to restrain from speech or action.
"My dagger
muzzled."
Shak.
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.
Deut. xxv. 4.
2.
To fondle with the closed mouth.
[Obs.]
L'Estrange.
© Webster 1913.
Muz"zle, v. i.
To bring the mouth or muzzle near.
The bear muzzles and smels to him.
L'Estrange.
© Webster 1913.