gristbite
English
editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editFrom Middle English grisbaten, from Old English gristbitian. Equivalent to grist (“to grind”) + bite.
Verb
editgristbite (third-person singular simple present gristbites, present participle gristbiting, simple past gristbit, past participle gristbitten or gristbit)
- (archaic, dialect) To gnash one's teeth.
- 1866, George Walter Thornbury, Greatheart:
- Mrs. Tolpedden achieved a dashing cannon, and then gave a miss, at which she "grisbetted", as Milly called it.
- 2017, Ethan Fogus, “Nightdrive”, in How to Make a Mudsparkler, page 8:
- I’d lean against
the door and stare out the car window
terror-stricken in any hairpin turn but
soon felt my tight gristbit milk teeth
were set free by laughing through
each shotgun seat squeeze […]