Meaning

13 senses
  1. (transitive)To push or thrust (the nose or snout, face or muzzle, or head, or an object) against or into something.

  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.

    She nuzzled her girlfriend in the cinema.

    hätscheln, schnüffeln, wühlen

    ты́каться но́сомtýkatʹsja nósom, ню́хатьnjúxatʹ, тере́ться но́сом оterétʹsja nósom o

  3. (transitive)Chiefly of an animal: to dig (something, especially food) out of the ground using the nose or snout; to root.

    dig out with the snout

  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.

  6. (intransitive)Followed by down: to settle or lie comfortably and snugly in a bed, nest, etc.; to nestle.

  7. (intransitive)Chiefly followed by up or with: to press affectionately against someone or something; to nestle, to snuggle.

  8. (figuratively, intransitive)To come into close contact with someone or something.

  9. (intransitive, obsolete, rare)To feel or probe with the fingers.

  10. (also, obsolete, reflexive, transitive)Often followed by up or with': to nurture or train (oneself or someone) to act a certain way, have certain beliefs, etc.

  11. Often followed by up or with': to nurture or train (oneself or someone) to act a certain way, have certain beliefs, etc.

    (also, obsolete, reflexive, transitive)To train (a dog or hawk) to attack prey.

  12. (also, obsolete, reflexive, transitive)Chiefly followed by up: to bring up (someone); to foster, to rear; also, to educate (someone); to train.

Examples

9 sentences
  1. The cat nuzzled against Tom.

    deDie Katze schmiegte sich an Tom.

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  2. She nuzzled up against her boyfriend.

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  3. The horse nuzzled against you affectionately.

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  4. Benedito smiled as the kid nuzzled against his hand.

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  5. Benedito saw the buck nuzzle one of his goats affectionately.

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Translations

5 languages
Русский
By meaning 1
to rub or touch (someone or something) with the nose, face, etc., or an object:
Deutsch
By meaning 1
to rub or touch (someone or something) with the nose, face, etc., or an object:

Origin

The verb is derived from Middle English noselen (“to bend down”); further etymology uncert

The verb is derived from Middle English noselen (“to bend down”); further etymology uncertain, possibly:

Origin uncertain; appears to have a separate origin from nuzzle (etymology 1) due to the different meanings, but probably influenced by that word.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

nuzzles, nuzzling, nuzzled, nuzzled
Base formnuzzle · to nuzzle
3rd person singularnuzzles
Present participlenuzzling
Past simplenuzzled
Past participlenuzzled

regular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theynuzzle
he, she, itnuzzles

Past simpleLesson

all personsnuzzled

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave nuzzled
he, she, ithas nuzzled

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill nuzzle

Synonyms

7 synonyms
Close in meaning

Word family

6 related words

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
nuzzle — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto