gristbite

English

Alternative forms

• grizbite, grisbite, grisbet

Etymology

From Middle English grisbaten, from Old English gristbitian. Equivalent to grist (“to grind”) +‎ bite.

Verb

gristbite (third-person singular simple present gristbites, present participle gristbiting, simple past gristbit, past participle gristbitten or gristbit)

1. (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 […]