Where does “girning” come from?

girning (English) comes from English grīn, from Middle English grin, from Old English grin — snare.

girning (English): A light-hearted competition in which people girn (make elaborate faces) through a horse collar; most popular in rural parts of England

Definitions

  1. A light-hearted competition in which people girn (make elaborate faces) through a horse collar; most popular in rural parts of England

Ancestry of “girning”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgrīnA smile in which the lips are parted to reveal the teeth
2Middle Englishgrin—
3Old Englishgrinsnare
Every word from Old English grin →Every word from Middle English grin →Every word from English grīn →