grunt

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

grunt, v. t. [OE. grunten; akin to As. grunian, G. grunzen, Dan. grynte, Sw. grymta; all prob. of imitative; or perh. akin to E. groan.].

 To make a deep, short noise, as a hog; to utter a short groan or a deep guttural sound.  [1913 Webster]
"Who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life."  [1913 Webster]

Grunting ox (Zoöl.), the yak.

grunt, n. 

•  A deep, guttural sound, as of a hog.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any one of several species of American food fishes, of the genus Hæmulon, allied to the snappers, as, the black grunt (A. Plumieri), and the redmouth grunt (H. aurolineatus), of the Southern United States; -- also applied to allied species of the genera Pomadasys, Orthopristis, and Pristopoma. Called also pigfish, squirrel fish, and grunter; -- so called from the noise it makes when taken.  [1913 Webster]
•  A U. S. infantryman; -- used especially of those fighting in the war in Vietnam.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

grunt, n. & v.
--n.
1 a low guttural sound made by a pig.
2 a sound resembling this.
3 any fish of the genus Haemulon that grunts when caught.
--v.
1 intr. (of a pig) make a grunt or grunts.
2 intr. (of a person) make a low inarticulate sound resembling this, esp. to express discontent, dissent, fatigue, etc.
3 tr. utter with a grunt.

Etymology

OE grunnettan, prob. orig. imit.

THESAURUS

grunt

Zouave, air a grievance, animal noise, bark, barking, bawl, beef, bellow, bellyache, bersagliere, birdcall, bitch, blare, blat, blubber, boom, bray, breathe, buzz, cackle, call, carabineer, chant, chasseur, chirp, clamor, clang, complain, coo, crab, croak, crow, cry, dogface, doughfoot, drawl, exclaim, expert rifleman, flute, foot soldier, footslogger, fret, fret and fume, fusileer, fuss, gasp, grenadier, gripe, groan, grouch, grouse, growl, grumble, gruntle, hiss, holler, howl, howling, infantryman, keen, kick, light infantryman, lilt, lodge a complaint, marksman, mating call, mumble, murmur, musketeer, mutter, note, oink, paddlefoot, pant, pipe, raise a howl, register a complaint, rifle, rifleman, roar, rumble, scold, scream, screech, sharpshooter, shriek, sibilate, sigh, sing, snap, snarl, sniper, snort, sob, squall, squawk, squeal, stridulation, take on, thunder, trumpet, twang, ululation, wail, warble, whine, whisper, woodnote, yap, yawp, yell, yelp

ROGET THESAURUS

grunt

Lamentation

VB lament, mourn, deplore, grieve, weep over, bewail, bemoan, condole with, fret, wear mourning, go into mourning, put on mourning, wear the willow, wear sackcloth and ashes, infandum renovare dolorem, give sorrow words, sigh, give a sigh, heave, fetch a sigh, waft a sigh from Indus to the pole, sigh 'like a furnace', wail, cry, weep, sob, greet, blubber, pipe, snivel, bibber, whimper, pule, pipe one's eye, drop tears, shed tears, drop a tear, shed a tear, melt into tears, burst into tears, fondre en larmes, cry oneself blind, cry one's eyes out, yammer, scream, mew, groan, moan, whine, roar, roar like a bull, bellow like a bull, cry out lustily, rend the air, frown, scowl, make a wry face, gnash one's teeth, wring one's hands, tear one's hair, beat one's breast, roll on the ground, burst with grief, complain, murmur, mutter, grumble, growl, clamor, make a fuss about, croak, grunt, maunder, deprecate, cry out before one is hurt, complain without cause.

Cry

VB cry, roar, shout, bawl, brawl, halloo, halloa, hoop, whoop, yell, bellow, howl, scream, screech, screak, shriek, shrill, squeak, squeal, squall, whine, pule, pipe, yaup, cheer, hoot, grumble, moan, groan, snore, snort, grunt, vociferate, raise up the voice, lift up the voice, call out, sing out, cry out, exclaim, rend the air, thunder at the top of one's voice, shout at the top of one's voice, shout at the pitch of one's breath, thunder at the pitch of one's breath, s'_egosiller, strain the throat, strain the voice, strain the lungs, give a cry.

Ululation

VB cry, roar, bellow, blare, rebellow, growl, snarl, bark, bow-wow, yelp, bay, bay at the moon, yap, yip, yipe, growl, yarr, yawl, snarl, howl, grunt, gruntle, snort, squeak neigh, whinny, bray, mew, mewl, meow, purr, caterwaul, pule, baa, bleat, low, moo, troat, croak, peep, coo, gobble, quack, honk, gaggle, guggle, crow, caw, squawk, screech cackle, cluck, clack, chuck, chuckle, hoot, hoo, chirp, cheep, chirrup, twitter, cuckoo, warble, trill, tweet, pipe, whistle, hum, buzz, hiss, blatter, ratatat.