grouse

plural grouses

1. countableAny of various game birds of the subfamily Tetraoninae which inhabit temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere; specifically, the red grouse (Lagopus scotica) native to heather moorland on the British Isles.First known use 1530s

   Looke to 't, young growſe: Ile lay it on, and ſure; / Take 't off who's wull.

   1633 (first performance), Benjamin Jonson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “A Tale of a Tub. A Comedy […]”, in The Workes of Benjamin Jonson. The Second Volume. […] (Second Folio), London: […] Richard Meighen, published 1640, →OCLC, Act II, scene i, page 70

   3 more examples

   Among fowls for the table [of King Henry VIII] are crocards, winders, runners, grows, and peions, but neither Turky or Guiney-fowl.

   1531 January, “XXI. Extracts from a MS. Dated ‘apud Eltham, mense Jan. 22 Hen. VIII.’ Communicated to the Society by Owen Salusbury Brereton, Esq; Read at the Society of Antiquaries, April 9, 1772.”, in Archaeologia: Or, Miscellaneous Tracts Relating to Antiquity, volume III, London: […] Society [of Antiquaries of London]; and by Messieurs Whiston, White, Robson, Baker and Leigh, and Brown, published 1775, →OCLC, page 157

   The shy black grouse, “with an eye on every feather,” can only thrive in vast, absolutely undisturbed heath and moorlands. Therefore, unfortunately, there are not too many black grouse.

   1979, Rien Poortvliet, translated by Marlies Comjean, “The Black Grouse”, in The Living Forest: A World of Animals, New York, N.Y.: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.; Peacock Press/Bantam Books, →ISBN

   I don’t know whether someone will go to the North Face this year. There you can find pure loneliness. In the base camp, you are only joined by snow grouses. Otherwise, it is extremely quiet, and you have the view of the North Face. You won’t meet anyone at the Kangshung Face too.

   2015 February 14, “Kaltenbrunner: “All Everest parties around one table!””, in Deutsche Welle, archived from the original on 31 Jan 2023

   Synonyms: moorbird, moorcock, moorfowl

2. uncountableThe flesh or meat of this bird eaten as food.

present singular third person grouses · participle present grousing · participle past groused · past groused

1. intransitiveTo hunt or shoot grouse.

present singular third person grouses · participle present grousing · participle past groused · past groused

1. informalintransitiveTo complain or grumble.First known use late 19th c.

   Grouse away!" he growled. "If grousin' made a man happy, you'd be the champion."

   1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019

   1 more example

   If you're cast for fatigue by a sergeant unkind, Don't grouse like a woman, nor crack on, nor blind; Be handy and civil, and then you will find That it's beer for the young British soldier.

   1890, Kipling, The Young British Soldier

plural grouses

1. informalA cause for complaint; a grumble.First known use early 20th c.

comparative grouser · superlative grousest

1. AustraliaNew ZealandslangExcellent.First known use 1920s

   I had a grouse day.

   5 more examples

   That food was grouse.

   Real grouse birthday this. First time he's had a party.

   1965, Mudrooroo, Wild Cat Falling, HarperCollins, published 2001, page 99

   They were the grousest ladies she′d ever met.

   1991, Tim Winton, Cloudstreet, Scribner Paperback Fiction, published 2002, page 182

   Not a question but the gag of Mulder pissing on the ID4 poster was grouse.

   1998 July 23, Stujo, “SPOILER FTF - questions”, in aus.tv.x-files (Usenet)

   I know, but I moved from riding bikes to flying and it is a great move. All riders without a fear of heights I know that flew with me thought it was grouse- and there are no coppers or speed limits up there.

   2003 October 4, Leeroy, “FS Ultralight Aircraft”, in aus.motorcycles (Usenet)

   Synonyms: ace, admirable, amazing, awe-inspiring, awesome, badass, broyal, bang on · Antonyms: abysmal, atrocious, awful, bad, chronic, coarse, corny, crap