nuzzling

Verb

nuzzle (third-person singular simple present nuzzles, present participle nuzzling, simple past and past participle nuzzled)

1. (transitive) To push or thrust (the nose or snout, face or muzzle, or head, or an object) against or into something.
   • [T]he Dogge nuſling his noſe vnder the necke of the Deare, the Wolfe glad to let the Lambe lye vpon hym to kéepe him warme, the Lyon ſuffering the Aſſe to caſt hys legge ouer him: preferring one honeſt vnmannerly friende, before a number of croutching picke-thankes.1594, Tho[mas] Nashe, “The Vnfortunate Traueller”, in The Vnfortunate Traueller. Or, The Life of Iacke Wilton, London: […] T. Scarlet for C[uthbert] Burby, […], →OCLC
2. (transitive) To rub or touch (someone or something) with the nose, face, etc., or an object.
   • The horse nuzzled its foal’s head gently to wake him up.
3. (transitive) Chiefly of an animal: to dig (something, especially food) out of the ground using the nose or snout; to root.
4. (intransitive) Often followed by in or into: to press or push the nose or snout, mouth, face, etc., against or into someone or something; to touch someone or something with the nose or snout, etc.
   • The bird nuzzled up to the wires of the cage.
5. (intransitive) Chiefly of an animal: to push the nose or snout into the ground to dig for something, especially food; to root, to rootle.
   • The male pigges following the damme, doe commonly ſcatter further abroade than the females doe, and will nouzle and turne vp the ground tenne or twelue paces further off from their dãmes than yͤ females do, […]1575, Jacques du Fouilloux, “The Difference betweene the Male, and the Female”, in George Gascoigne, transl., The Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting. […], London: […] Thomas Purfoot, published 1611...
6. (intransitive) Followed by down: to settle or lie comfortably and snugly in a bed, nest, etc.; to nestle.
   • Intemperance therefore according to Cicero, is ſuch a kind of obedience vnto luſts, meerely repugnant to the right mind, and vnto all preſcription of reaſon, that the priuate deſires can neither be gouerned nor contained in any moderation; and thereof are tvvo parts: one vvhich exceſſiuely nuzzleth...1606, Barnabe Barnes, “The First Booke of Offices”, in Foure Bookes of Offices: Enabling Privat Persons for the Speciall Seruice of All Good Princes and Policies, London: […] [Adam Islip] at the...

   Synonyms:

   snuzzle

See all 14 meanings of nuzzle